• Austrian Millionaire Hired a Bezos Lookalike and Assigned Real Special Forces Officers to Guard Him: Corporate Joke Turns Into Scandal

  Austrian tool manufacturer Haidlmair found a rather unusual way to celebrate the largest contract in the company’s history with Amazon...

• The Pain Angelina Jolie Hid for a Decade: Actress Turns Personal Drama Into New Film

  Angelina Jolie’s new film was born out of a deeply personal story and, according to the actress and director herself, is connected to a “very difficult period” in her life...

• Sharon Stone Admits the Iconic Basic Instinct Scene Still Makes People “Afraid” of Her

  Sharon Stone has admitted that her famous provocative scene from Basic Instinct still affects the way people perceive her. According to the 68-year-old actress, many people were literally “afraid” to interact with her after the film was released...

• “Even Poor People Wouldn’t Eat This”: Princess Anne Mocked Over “Disgusting” Menu of Tinned Food and Frozen Pies

  Princess Anne appears to have developed a reputation for having tastes that are far removed from the royal idea of luxury. Rather than elaborate dishes, she reportedly prefers simple food — frozen pies, tinned vegetables and even overripe bananas...

• Lenny Kravitz Becomes Ken: Iconic Rocker Gets His Own Barbie Doll

  Lenny Kravitz merchandise has officially reached a whole new level. Fans of the 62-year-old Grammy winner can now buy a Ken doll modeled after the iconic musician. Kravitz himself calls the honor “crazy cool.”..

• 21-Year-Old Brazilian Blogger Shot Dead Outside Her Home a Week After Her Release From Custody

  Twenty-one-year-old Brazilian blogger Evelyn Lima Dantas was shot dead outside her home on September 16...

• “He Is in Love With His Valet”: Diana’s Brother Reveals Shocking Details About Her Marriage to Charles

  Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has made sensational claims about King Charles’s private life in his new memoir, reviving long-standing rumors about the monarch’s relationship with one of his closest aides — rumors that have repeatedly been denied by the royal household...

• Kendall Jenner Says She Wouldn’t Rule Out Sex With Cara Delevingne: “Never Say Never”

  Kendall Jenner has denied rumors that she is romantically involved with her close friend Cara Delevingne, but joked about the possibility of having sex with her in a new trailer for Season 8 of The Kardashians...

A $1 billion fortune is no longer enough to make the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans. In 2026, the cutoff soared to a record $4.4 billion — $600 million higher than the previous year. As a result, 590 American billionaires were not wealthy enough to make the prestigious ranking. In 2025, there were 500.

Among those who fell short of the fortune required to make the Forbes 400 are some very familiar names. Oprah Winfrey, for example, is worth an estimated $3.4 billion, Taylor Swift $2 billion, Dr. Dre $1 billion, former eBay and Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman $4.2 billion, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman $3.3 billion and former Apple CEO Tim Cook $3 billion.

Competition at the top of the American wealth rankings is becoming increasingly fierce. Ninety percent of last year’s Forbes 400 members retained their spots. Of the 34 billionaires who dropped off the list, seven actually increased their fortunes. Another 13 saw their wealth remain unchanged, while 14 became poorer. Six people from last year’s list died.

The $100 million gap is particularly striking. As of the September 4 snapshot date, five American billionaires had fortunes of $4.3 billion — just $100 million below the required minimum. Another roughly dozen Americans had at least $4 billion but still failed to make the Forbes 400.

Beyoncé: $1 Billion

Forbes estimates Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s fortune at $1 billion. A significant portion of the singer’s wealth has come from Parkwood Entertainment, which she founded in 2010 and used to take control of many aspects of her career, from music and documentary projects to touring.

Her Cowboy Carter tour generated approximately $450 million in ticket and merchandise sales, helping Beyoncé officially enter the billionaire club. However, she remains far from the Forbes 400 cutoff. Forbes notes that her husband, Jay-Z, whose fortune is estimated at $2.8 billion, could reach the required threshold before she does.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: $1.2 Billion

Even the Terminator has yet to break into the Forbes 400.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s fortune is estimated at $1.2 billion. Born into a modest family in a small Austrian village, he moved to the United States, became a famous bodybuilder, then one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors, and was twice elected governor of California.

Schwarzenegger became a billionaire in 2024 thanks to his Hollywood earnings and endorsement deals, as well as investments in real estate and the investment firm Dimensional Fund Advisors.

LeBron James: $1.4 Billion

Forbes estimates LeBron James’ fortune at $1.4 billion.

During his NBA career, he has earned more than $500 million before taxes, while another $1.1 billion-plus has come from partnerships with Nike, AT&T, Beats and other brands.

However, in July, the basketball star agreed to a dramatic pay cut after joining the Philadelphia 76ers — his contract reportedly calls for around $4 million a year, compared with the $53 million he was earning with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Forbes did the math with a touch of irony: at that salary, LeBron would have to keep playing for another 750 years to reach the level of wealth required for the Forbes 400 solely through his basketball earnings.

Kim Kardashian: $1.9 Billion

Kim Kardashian increased her fortune by $200 million after her company Skims announced a $225 million investment round, raising the company’s valuation to $5 billion.

In addition to Skims, Kardashian owns the investment firm SKKY Partners. Her fortune has reached a record level, but she is still more than half a billion dollars — in fact, more than half the required threshold — short of the minimum needed to make the Forbes 400.

Taylor Swift: $2 Billion

Taylor Swift became a billionaire in 2023 thanks to the record-breaking success of her Eras Tour, which generated more than $2 billion in revenue.

Since then, Forbes estimates that her fortune has doubled. The singer has released two more albums, won three additional Grammy Awards and taken full control of her music catalog.

But even $2 billion is now not enough to make the Forbes 400.

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss: $2.9 Billion

The Winklevoss twins have also dropped off the Forbes 400. Their combined fortune is estimated at $2.9 billion.

The reason was a sharp decline in the value of cryptocurrency exchange Gemini Space Station: its shares plunged 85% over the year, hitting the value of the brothers’ bitcoin holdings as well.

Earlier in 2026, Gemini announced plans to cut a quarter of its workforce, leave the UK, EU and Australian markets, and refocus on prediction markets. The company’s shares continued to fall afterward.

Sam Altman: $3.3 Billion

OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman, whose fortune Forbes estimates at $3.3 billion, also found himself outside the ranking.

The irony is that Altman runs a company worth tens of billions of dollars and the creator of ChatGPT, yet he does not own a stake in OpenAI.

Most of his personal wealth was built through successful venture investments, including stakes in Stripe and Reddit. Even so, $3.3 billion is not enough to make the current Forbes 400.

Oprah Winfrey: $3.4 Billion

Oprah Winfrey dropped off the Forbes 400 back in 2020 and has yet to return.

Her fortune continues to grow through her media business. September 2026 marks 40 years since the launch of The Oprah Winfrey Show. However, the fortunes of other billionaires are growing even faster, leaving the television icon outside the ranking.

As a result, the 2026 Forbes 400 has become an even more exclusive club: the combined wealth of America’s 400 richest people has reached a record $8 trillion, while the minimum fortune required to get on the list has risen to $4.4 billion. Against the backdrop of the artificial intelligence boom and a rising stock market, the number of billionaires continues to grow — but making it into the ranks of the 400 richest Americans is becoming increasingly difficult.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram