Fortunes can be made and lost in a day in our global economy. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranks the world's 500 richest individuals. While many of the names in the top 10 are as iconic as the tech companies that propelled them to wealth and fame, there is always room for a few surprises.

In addition to their business acumen and accomplishments, many of the people on the list are also active philanthropists. And if the thought of all that wealth feels intimidating and out of reach, consider that many billionaires are self-made and come from humble and unremarkable beginnings.

These are the richest people in the world.

Honorable Mention: Laurene Powell Jobs — $21.2 Billion 

Note: Rankings are based on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and data is updated through Jan. 7, 2021.

Nationality: American

Born: Nov. 6, 1963 (age 57) in West Milford, New Jersey

Spouse: Steve Jobs (m. 1991 until his death in 2011)

Children: 3

Industry: Media and telecom

Famous quote: "To do what you wanna do, to leave a mark — in a way that you think is important and lasting — that's a life well-lived."

Bottom Line: Laurene Powell Jobs 

Laurene Powell Jobs is the widow and heir of Steve Jobs. She and Steve met at Stanford Business School in 1989 and were together for over 20 years.

Laurene started her career as a fixed-trading strategist for Goldman Sachs and later cofounded Terravera, a raw and organic food supply company in the 1990s. She founded the Emerson Collective, a social change organization that engages in impact investing and philanthropy.

In 2017, the Emerson Collective purchased a majority stake in The Atlantic.

Honorable Mention: Hui Ka Yan — $22.9 billion 

Nationality: Chinese

Born: Oct. 9, 1958 (age 62) in Henan, China

Spouse: Yang Huiying (m. 1983)

Children: 2

Industry: Real estate

Famous quote: "Don't marry too early in life. It's better to work hard when young and establish a career first."