"Paint magnate Goh Cheng Liang has secured the top spot as Singapore’s wealthiest individual, according to Forbes’ 2025 Billionaires List, released on
“Paint magnate Goh Cheng Liang has secured the top spot as Singapore’s wealthiest individual, according to Forbes’ 2025 Billionaires List, released on 1 April.
Shifting Ranks Among Singapore’s Billionaires
By Mary Alavanza
At 97 years old, Goh Cheng Liang, who holds a controlling stake in Japan’s Nippon Paint Holdings, has amassed a fortune of US$13 billion (S$17.38 billion), surpassing medical devices mogul Li Xiting. Seventy-four-year-old Li, co-founder of Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics, dropped to second place with a net worth of US$12.8 billion.
In third place is Forrest Li, the 47-year-old CEO of Sea Group, whose wealth saw a significant jump from US$3.6 billion in 2024 to US$8.6 billion in 2025. His company’s impressive financial performance, particularly through Shopee and SeaMoney, contributed to a stock surge of over 140%, reaching US$132.46 on 2 April.
A Growing Pool of Billionaires
Singapore’s billionaire count rose from 39 in 2024 to 49 in 2025, collectively holding a net worth of US$145.2 billion—an increase from US$115.5 billion the previous year. No individuals dropped off the list, and new entrants included 81-year-old Hong Leong Holdings’ managing director Quek Leng Chye, ranking 2,790th globally with US$1.1 billion, and 61-year-old gaming investor Lim Kaling, with US$1.2 billion.
The sons of the late banking tycoon Wee Cho Yaw—UOB CEO Wee Ee Cheong, 72, alongside his brothers, 69-year-old Wee Ee Chao and 63-year-old Wee Ee Lim—saw their combined fortune climb to US$6 billion from US$4.2 billion in 2024.
Brazilian-born Meta co-founder Eduardo Saverin, a permanent resident in Singapore, ranked 51st globally, boasting a net worth of US$34.5 billion.
Billionaire Trends Worldwide
The 2025 Forbes Billionaires List featured 3,028 individuals, up by 247 from the previous year. Their total wealth hit an unprecedented US$16.1 trillion, rising by nearly US$2 trillion.
Tesla’s Elon Musk reclaimed the top position with a staggering US$342 billion, marking a 75% increase year-on-year. Musk became the first individual to exceed US$300 billion in net worth and maintains a record-breaking US$126 billion lead over second-place Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO.
Other notable billionaires include Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Oracle’s Larry Ellison, ranking third and fourth, respectively. French luxury magnate Bernard Arnault and his family fell to fifth place. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump secured the 700th spot, with his fortune doubling to US$5.1 billion.
The United States remains home to the highest number of billionaires (902), followed by China (516) and India (205).”
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