Explained: What is the centibillionaire’s club which Gautam Adani became the newest member of?

Today, the club has 10 members, with Elon Musk on top and Jeff Bezos next, followed by Bernard Arnault, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett. Gautam Adani is 10th on the list.

According to the Bloomberg report, Adani, whose interests range from ports and mines to green energy, is the biggest gainer in the Billionaires Index this year, up almost $24 billion. (File Photo)

This month, Bloomberg Billionaires Index reported that Gautam Adani’s net worth had reached $100 billion, an accomplishment that makes the industrialist the only Indian member of an exclusive global group called the centibillionaire’s club. What is this club is and who are its members?

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What is this club and who are its members?

The club refers to people whose net wealth is $100 billion or above. Although Bill Gates did have a net worth of over $100 billion in 1999 for a brief period, the term centibillionaire did not gain currency until the flamboyant founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, increased his wealth to $112 billion in 2017. It is since then that he was referred to as the world’s first centibillionaire.

After that, the numbers kept increasing. By 2020, when Mark Zuckerberg joined the group, they already had four other members — Tesla’s Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Bezos and Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of luxury goods company LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE.

Today, the club has 10 members, with Musk on top and Bezos next, followed by Arnault, Gates, and Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway. Adani is tenth on the list and $3 billion below the person above him, Oracle’s Larry Ellison — whose net wealth is $103 billion.

How did Adani make the cut?

According to the Bloomberg report, Adani, whose interests range from ports and mines to green energy, is the biggest gainer in the Billionaires Index this year, up by almost $24 billion. “Adani’s ascent has been nothing short of spectacular. The college dropout who first made a fortune in the coal industry has amassed almost all of his wealth in the past two years, thanks to a shift to green energy and infrastructure that landed him investments from companies including France’s Total SE and Warburg Pincus,” the report read.

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Fortunes in the centibillionaire’s club are vulnerable to the winds of change and no one knows it better than Bezos who touched $200 billion in 2020, the first person ever to get there. Today, he is number two on the list with $179 billion, while Musk is at $260 billion.

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Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More