Even though Warren Buffett made the most gains in 2013, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates still holds the title of the wealthiest billionaire in the world. Find out who earned the most money in 2013.
10. Carl Icahn - USA - Gain in 2013: US$7.2 billion (S$9.1 billion)
77-year-old self-made billionaire Carl Icahn has an estimated net worth of US$22.1 billion in Dec 2013, an increase of US$14.9 billion in Jan 2013, according to Wealth-X.
He has investments in Netflix and Herbalife, and after announcing that he has a stake in Apple this August, the company's shares went up by 9 per cent, reported Forbes.
9. Lui Chee Woo - Hong Kong, China - Gain in 2013: US$8.3 billion (S$10.5 billion)
88-year-old Lui Chee Woo is owner of Galaxy Entertainment Group and fifth richest man in Hong Kong, reported Forbes. The tycoon also has investments in hotels and property development.
According to Forbes, the billionaire first started in 1950s, buying and reselling construction equipment from Japan to Southeast Asia.
His eldest son, Francis Lui, manages the gambling businesses in the family's conglomerate.
8. Larry Page - USA - Gain in 2013: US$9.3 billion (S$11.8 billion)
Google co-founder Larry Page runs the company together with his partner, Sergey Brin (right). Above: The duo in their younger days
Page manages the search engine side of the business while Brin focuses on the futuristic Google X division which researches on Google Glass and driverless cars, said Forbes.
In 2013, Page's net worth went up from US$20.6 billion to US$29.9 billion by Dec 2013.
Former Google employee Douglas Edwards revealed that even though the founders were bad at coding and the pair had little to do with the coding that powered the search engine.
The duo did have a sense of humour. Edwards also said that when their code broke, users would see funny error messages like, "Whoa, horsey!"
7. Sergey Brin - USA - Gain in 2013: US$9.3 billion (S$11.8 billion)
Though Google co-founder Sergey Brin tied with his partner Larry Page in financial gains in 2013, Brin's net worth is slightly higher at US$30 billion, said Wealth-X. Above: Brin walking alongside Wendi Deng
Other than making headlines with Google Glass, Brin was also in the news for allegedly having an affair with the marketing manager of his latest product, Amanda Rosenberg, 27, in August, said Daily Mail.
6. Masayoshi Son - Japan - Gain in 2013: US$10.3 billion (S$13 billion)
Masayohi Son is the owner of internet venture SoftBank and listed as Japan's third richest person by Forbes. His net worth has double from US$8.8 billion in Jan 2013 to US$19.1 billion in Dec 2013.
According to Business Insider, Son is of Korean descent and moved to Japan when he was a kid. His schoolmates would throw rocks at him, and the family eventually took on a Japanese sounding name.
Son went to study in the United States after following the advice of McDonald's Japan founder Den Fujita, said Business Insider.
Arstechnica said he made his first million with arcade games. His father was also in the arcade games business, dealing with pachinko machines.
In 2004, he suffered his biggest set back when he lost US$40 billion in the dot com bust. Business Insider said it was the biggest loss for an individual.
Son was also good friends with late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. With that friendship, Son was able to become to first distributor of iPhones in Japan, said Business Insider.
According to Bloomberg, Son has his own golf range which can simulate weather, grass conditions and seasonal aromas. Bill Gates once visited the golf range and remarked, "Wow!"
5. Mark Zuckerberg - USA - Gain in 2013: US$10.5 billion (S$13.3 billion)
The youngest in the list, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, 29, increased his net worth from US$14.2 billion to US$24.7 billion in 2013.
Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla, have donated 18 million Facebook shares worth around US$500 million to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which supports education and health programmes, said Business Insider.
Even though he is usually seen in his default grey shirt, Zuckerberg revealed that he wore a tie everyday in 2009 to show that Facebook was a serious business, said CNN.
According to IBNLive, Mark Zuckerberg has around 50 patents under his name. The first was issued in 2004 for his technology Synapse Media Player. A programme that uses artificial intelligence to analyse and recommend music based on their habits.
CNN said he is a vegetarian even though he listed burger joints McDonald's and In-and-Out Burger as his 'Likes' on Facebook.
Even though his net worth stands at US$24.7 billion, he only bought his wife, Priscilla (above),a ruby wedding ring worth around US$25,000.
4. Jeff Bezos - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.3 billion (S$14.3 billion)
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' net worth increased from US$23.1 billion to US$34.4 billion in 2013.
While the Sergey Brin is developing Google Glass, Jeff Bezos is working on drones which can deliver small packages to a destination in less than 30 minutes, said Business Insider.
The octocopters are part of a programme called 'Amazon Prime Air'. However, he has to check with the Federal Aviation Administration to make sure the drone is legally able to fly.
According to the book, "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon", it was revealed that when he was a toddler, 3-year-old Bezos tried to dismantle his crib with a screwdriver.
Bezos takes customer service seriously, said the book, and would even let customers e-mail him directly. After seeing the e-mails, he would then forward it to the relevant department.
A long-time space geek, he owns Blue Origin, his private rocket ship company.
3. Sheldon Adelson - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.4 billion (S$14.4 billion)
80-year-old gambling magnate Sheldon Adelson's net worth went up to US$35.3 billion in 2013. The Las Vegas Corporation chief has casinos from Macau to Singapore.
In 2012, he was listed by The Week as the bigger donor. His favourite game at the casino is Blackjack, but he does not play much.
According to The Week, he met his second and current wife on a blind date in 1989. On their honeymoon, he got the idea for The Venetian, a casino and hotel project.
Even though he is based in Las Vegas, The Week said that his fortune comes mostly from the casinos in Macau and its high-rollers in the special VIP rooms.
He believes that technology is good for the business, The Week said that the tycoon doesn't use computers, text or e-mail.
2. Bill Gates - USA - Gain in 2013: US$11.5 billion (S$14.6 billion)
World's wealthiest man Bill Gates raked in US$11.5 billion in 2013, bringing his net worth to US$72.6 billion.
Through a foundation set up together with his wife, Melinda Gates, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is setting out to improve human sanitation. They are trying to find ways to turn human waste into something useful, said Business Insider.
With the foundation's help, the scientists at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory have developed a technology that can convert human urine into electricity that can be used to power a smartphone, reported Business Insider.
According to Factslides, Bill Gates wanted to be a missionary by the age of 30, but he become a billionaire at 31 years old.
Various reports said that his score for his leaving school examinations, SAT, was almost a perfect score. He got 1590 out of 1600.
Bill Gates married his long-time girl friend Melinda French in Hawaii on Jan 1st, 1994.They have three children.
According to Policymic, if Bill Gates was a country, it would be the 37th most richest country in the world.
He and his wife doesn't believe in giving their fortune to their kids. He was quoted saying, "I don’t think that amount of money would be good for them. They have to find their own way."
1. Warren Buffett - USA - Gain in 2013: US$12.7 billion (S$16 billion)
Investment tycoon Warren Buffett made the most money in 2013, bringing his net worth from US$46.4 billion to US$59.1 billion in Dec 2013.
In June 2006, Nasdaq said Buffett announced his plan to give away 85 per cent of his wealth to charity. He said he always had the intention to "do good" rather than keep the fortune within his own family.
Buffett's first wife died from oral cancer. Before her death, she gave one of Buffett's love interest permission to date him. After her death, Buffett reportedly regretted leaving her when she was ill, said Nasdaq.
Ted Weschler, managing partner at hedge fund Peninsula Capital Advisors, once paid US$5.25 million to have lunch with Buffett. The lunch date paid off when Weschler was invited to join Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, in 2011, said Nasdaq.
Buffett has an obsession with the game of Bridge and plays it online least four times a week, said Nasdaq.
He reportedly disowned his adopted granddaughter Nicole after she appeared on a show called 'The One Percent'. Her "perceived sense of entitlement and self-appointed role as family spokesperson", said Nasdaq, upset the billionaire tycoon.
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