Forbes published its first global billionaires list in 1987. The inaugural ranking identified 140 billionaires around the world and established the magazine’s influential annual comparison of extreme personal wealth.
The list grew out of Forbes’s earlier focus on wealthy Americans. Its global expansion reflected the increasing importance of international business ownership, cross-border investment and newly visible fortunes in economies such as Japan.
Forbes estimates net worth primarily from publicly known assets, including shareholdings, private companies, property and other investments. Because many private holdings are difficult to value, the figures are estimates rather than audited personal balance sheets.
The 1987 launch is distinct from the Forbes 400, the magazine’s annual ranking of wealthy Americans, which began earlier. The global list also differs from Forbes’ later country-specific and celebrity wealth rankings.