Sergey Brin Becomes World’s No. 3 Richest—Overtakes Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison After Alphabet Hits $4 Trillion

Topline

Sergey Brin leapfrogged Oracle’s Larry Ellison and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos on Tuesday to become the world’s third-richest person, ranking again behind fellow Google cofounder Larry Page as parent firm Alphabet stock rallied to its latest milestone.

Key Facts

• Shares of Alphabet rose 1.3% to just over $337 as of Tuesday afternoon, paring back earlier gains as high as 2.4% and adding to a 6.6% rally over the previous seven trading sessions.
• Oracle’s shares traded down 1.5%, while shares of Amazon declined nearly 2%.
• Alphabet became the fourth company with a market value of $4 trillion on Monday, joining Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple to reach the milestone, though the latter two firms have since dropped below the threshold.
• Another boost for Alphabet’s stock followed a new deal between Apple and Google, in which Apple said Monday it would use Google’s Gemini for the foundation of its AI models and the next generation of Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant and chatbot.

Big Number

65%. That’s how much Alphabet’s stock grew by in 2025, the largest single-year jump for the company since 2009, when shares surged by nearly 93%.

Forbes Valuation

Brin’s net worth grew by $4.9 billion (1.9%) to $255.6 billion, ranking him behind Page ($277 billion) and Tesla’s Elon Musk ($725.3 billion), according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List. Bezos ranks as the fourth-richest person in the world with a fortune estimated at $253.2 billion, and Ellison ranks fifth with a net worth approximated at $251.3 billion. Sergey Brin, who holds fewer shares of Alphabet’s Class C stock, has been more active selling his Alphabet equity and donating millions of his Alphabet and Tesla shares in recent years to research on Parkinson’s disease.

Key Background

Alphabet emerged as a leader in AI in 2025, rallying even as investors expressed growing fears that AI-backed tech stocks were overinflated. Google released Gemini 3, the latest iteration of its AI model, in November to broader applause, weeks after the company unveiled Ironwood, the seventh generation of its AI chips amid growing competition with Nvidia. Citi analysts wrote in a note earlier this month that Alphabet was among its top picks for growth in 2026, arguing 70% of Google Cloud customers use its AI products and that Google has “the chip, the infrastructure capacity, and the model amid growing demand.” Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Deepak Mathivanan wrote on Jan. 8 that Google has the “strongest footprint” among AI firms, arguing the company’s “decade-long investments” prevent its competitors from catching up.

Brin’s return to the top of the wealth rankings reflects more than short term market swings. Alphabet’s rise has been tied closely to its growing dominance in artificial intelligence, an area that continues to attract massive investment from both corporate partners and institutional investors. While tech valuations often fluctuate, analysts see Alphabet’s position as more durable due to its ownership of both software platforms and custom hardware.

The renewed partnership between Apple and Google has also reshaped market sentiment. By choosing Gemini as the foundation for future AI driven features, Apple effectively endorsed Google’s research direction. That signal mattered to investors who have been searching for clear winners in the fast moving AI race. The announcement reinforced the idea that Alphabet is not only competing but setting the pace.

Brin’s personal approach to wealth has remained different from many of his peers. While his net worth has climbed alongside Alphabet’s share price, he has steadily reduced his stake and redirected a large portion of his holdings toward medical research. His focus on funding studies into Parkinson’s disease has added a human dimension to his financial success and distinguished him from other tech billionaires who concentrate primarily on business expansion or acquisitions.

Market watchers note that the ranking shift between Sergey Brin, Bezos, and Ellison highlights how tightly modern wealth is linked to stock performance. Even modest daily moves in share prices can change the global billionaire leaderboard within hours. Alphabet’s recent rally has proven strong enough to reorder the top tier of wealth, at least for now.

Looking ahead, Alphabet’s challenge will be sustaining growth in an environment where regulators, competitors, and investors are watching AI more closely than ever. Still, with expanding cloud adoption, custom chip development, and high profile partnerships, the company appears well positioned to defend its gains. For Sergey Sergey Brin, the moment underscores how innovation, long term investment, and selective restraint have reshaped both his company and his standing in the world’s financial hierarchy.

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Sergey Brin, Alphabet, Google, Billionaires, Tech News, AI Industry, Stock Market, Forbes List, Larry Page, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Apple Google Deal, Gemini AI