According to Bloomberg ranking of the richest families in the world for the fourth year was headed by the Walton family, which owns the world's largest retail and wholesale chain Walmart. The agency estimated the family's fortune at $224.5 billion, down $13.7 billion over the year.

Walmart was founded by businessman Sam Walton in 1962. Now the number of stores worldwide exceeds 10.5 thousand, the headquarters is located in Bentonville (Arkansas), the company's revenue is $ 573 billion. Walton family owns 47% of the network.

The top 10 richest families also include:

  1. Mars family, owners of Mars, the maker of confectionery and long-life products - $160 billion (+$18 billion for the year);
  2. Koch family, owners of the U.S. petrochemical corporation Koch Industrues - $124.4 billion (+$4.4 billion);
  3. Saudi royal family Al Saud - $105 billion (+$5 billion);
  4. Hermes family, owners of the French fashion house Hermes - $94.6 billion (-$17 billion);
  5. Ambani family, owners of the Indian oil production and refining holding company Reliance Industries - $84.6 billion (-$9.1 billion);
  6. Wertheimer family, owners of French fashion house Chanel - $79 billion (+$17.2 billion);
  7. Cargill family, owners of the agricultural company Cargill - $65.2 billion;
  8. Thompson family, owners of a controlling stake in Reuters news agency - $61.2 billion;
  9. Hoffmann family, minority owners of the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding - $45.1 billion.

A total of 25 families were included in the ranking. Among them are the Albrecht family, which owns the German discount chain Aldi ($41.4 billion), the Cox family, owners of the telecommunications company Cox Enterprises ($28.3 billion), the Mistri family, principal owners of the Indian construction company Hapoorji Pallonji Group and others.

According to Bloomberg, the combined wealth of the richest 25 families in the world is $1.5 trillion, down $ 143 billion from a year earlier. At the same time, the agency notes, the fortunes of some of the super-rich families, such as the Rockefellers, are not counted because their assets are "too difficult to track."

According to the study, the number of centimillionaires in the world is 25,490 people. They are mostly owners of technology and multinational companies, financiers and heirs to fortunes. Their number has more than doubled in the past 20 years.

The U.S. is home to 38% (9,730) of all centimillionaires, with China and India coming in second (2,021) and third (1,132), respectively. The United Kingdom follows in fourth place (968), followed by Germany in fifth place (966).

Switzerland in sixth place (808), Japan (765), Canada (541) and Australia (463) are also in the top ten. Russia is at the bottom of the top 10 with the largest number of centimillionaires - 435. Other major economies, France (380) and Italy (298), are not among the leaders in the number of centimillionaires. Researchers estimate that the number of super-rich people will grow rapidly in Asia and Africa in the coming years.