Jeff Bezos' Title of Richest Person on Earth Only Lasted 1 Day

The founder of Amazon became the richest person on the planet on Thursday, but it didn't last long.

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Remember that one time Jeff Bezos became the richest man on the planet? Well, all good things come to an end. Though I could just be saying that because I'm broke and petty. In any case, Bezos, who briefly surpassed Microsoft icon Bill Gates on the list of the world's top billionaires, has to settle for the No. 2 spot again. There are definitely worse things in the world.

Bezos initially became the richest person in the world for the first time on Thursday, with a $90.6 billion net worth when markets opened. But Amazon stock dropped from $1,083.31 to $1,046 by the time markets closed, knocking him out of the top spot. Bezos, who owns nearly 17 percent of Amazon stock, ended the day with an $88.7 billion fortune, while Gates finished with an estimated $89.8 billion fortune. For historical context, Bill Gates has held the title of world's richest person for 18 of the past 23 years. 

The list of the world's billionaires is kept up by Forbes, and the numbers are in constant flux. So, despite the drop, this is likely not Bezos’ last time at the top of the list. 

In other opulent news, Facebook shares went up by five percent when markets opened Thursday morning, boosting founder Mark Zuckerberg's net worth by $3.8 billion, making him the planet’s fifth-richest person. He is now worth an estimated $72.7 billion, a record high.

Amancio Ortega, who founded the parent company of Zara, follows Bezos in the No. 3 spot, while investor and business magnate Warren Buffett takes the No. 4 slot.

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