Forbes has published its ranking of the largest Brazilian billionaires for the year 2026. Eduardo Saverin maintains the first position, with a fortune valued at R$ 162.9 billion. The list compiles 255 Brazilians whose net worth exceeds the R$ 1 billion mark, totaling R$ 1.86 trillion.
Other prominent names include Vicky Safra, Jorge Paulo Lemann, and André Esteves. The edition also drew attention to Amélie Voigt Trejes, only 21 years old, recognized by Forbes as the youngest billionaire on the planet.
Analyzing the 255 individuals listed, it was found that 57.25% managed to increase their assets in the last year, while another 30.2% registered a decrease. Furthermore, five people entered the group for the first time.
The sources of these large fortunes are extremely diverse, covering sectors such as technology, finance, beverages, cosmetics, mining, and agribusiness.
Saverin was born in São Paulo in 1982 and moved to the United States when he was a child. During his economics studies at Harvard, he met Mark Zuckerberg. Both were involved in the founding of Facebook in 2004.
Initially, Saverin was responsible for the company's business area and made the initial financial contribution, which was crucial for the platform's launch, as described in the book Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. However, the partnership did not last due to disagreements over the company's future, leading both to resort to the courts. This episode was portrayed in the 2010 film The Social Network, where Saverin is played by Andrew Garfield. After an agreement, the Brazilian ended up with approximately 5% of the company.
In 2012, before Facebook's IPO, Saverin renounced his American citizenship and established residence in Singapore. His business activities continued outside the direct management of the social network. In 2015, he founded B Capital with Raj Ganguly. According to Forbes, this manager administers more than US$ 7 billion (equivalent to R$ 35.77 billion) and focuses investments in areas such as technology, health, and climate.
Amélie Voigt Trejes, from Santa Catarina, reached the title of world's youngest billionaire at 21, according to Forbes. Her fortune is estimated at R$ 6.7 billion and is mainly tied to her stake in WEG.
Amélie is descended from Werner Ricardo Voigt, one of the founders of WEG. Although she does not hold an executive position, she is part of the controlling shareholders group of WEG through the family corporate structure. Including direct and indirect holdings, she owns about 106.7 million shares, representing approximately 2.54% of the company's capital.
WEG was established in 1961 in Jaraguá do Sul (SC) with the initial purpose of manufacturing electric motors. Over the years, the company expanded its production to industrial and energy equipment, and the company reports currently having more than 1,500 product lines and operations distributed in 41 countries.
The ranking covers entrepreneurs from very different fields. Lemann and Sicupira are associated with AB InBev and 3G Capital; André Esteves consolidated his wealth in the financial sector; Miguel Krigsner founded Grupo Boticário; and Ricardo Faria developed his career in egg production.
Among traditional families, Fernando and Pedro Moreira Salles rank among the top ten due to their stakes in Itaú Unibanco and Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM).
In Saverin's specific case, the shareholding he maintained in Facebook, along with subsequent investments in technology, was decisive in forming one of Brazil's largest fortunes.