Khaberni - This year has seen a notable growth in the wealth of Arab billionaires, with enhanced investments and diversified sources of income, reflecting the strength of regional markets and investor confidence in economic sustainability and promising opportunities.
The wealth of Arab billionaires increased this year despite a decrease in their number, and for the first time in the history of the list, their total wealth exceeded 138.7 billion dollars, reflecting the strength of their assets and diversified investments.
The Forbes Middle East list of wealthy Arabs for the year 2026 includes about 37 billionaires from 7 countries, with a total net wealth of 138.7 billion dollars, an increase of 10.3 billion dollars, or 8%, compared to 128.4 billion dollars in 2025.
Despite the addition of three new billionaires to the ranking—Ibrahim Almuhaidib, Abbas Sajwani, and Ajlan bin Abdulaziz Al Ajlan—alongside the return of the Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris to the list, the total number of Arab billionaires this year decreased to 37, compared to 39 last year.
Saudi Arabia remains the most represented country in the list, including 12 billionaires with a total net wealth of 50.4 billion dollars, the highest among the listed countries. Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud retains the title of the richest Arab in the world, as his net worth increased to 19.9 billion dollars compared to 16.5 billion dollars in 2025.
Last year saw the return of Saudi billionaires to the Forbes list of the wealthy after a hiatus of 7 years, driven by the activity in initial public offerings in the Saudi financial market. This momentum continued in 2026, with Saudi billionaires representing about a third of the total Arab billionaires and more than a third of their total wealth.
The United Arab Emirates holds the second place with 7 billionaires whose total wealth amounts to 35.4 billion dollars. Hussain Sajwani, founder and chairman of DAMAC Properties, is the richest person from the UAE on the list, with a fortune reaching 15.3 billion dollars, up from 10.2 billion dollars in last year's ranking, becoming the second richest Arab in the world.
The list of wealthy individuals in the UAE also includes the youngest billionaire in the ranking, Abbas Sajwani, aged 26, son of Hussain Sajwani, who established the company “AHS Properties” in 2021.
The list includes 6 billionaires from Egypt with a total wealth of 23.8 billion dollars, topped by Nassef Sawiris with a wealth of 9.6 billion dollars. Lebanon also includes 6 billionaires with a total wealth of 13.9 billion dollars, despite economic troubles, reflecting the diversification of Lebanese corporate wealth abroad.
The list also includes 3 billionaires from Morocco, two from Qatar, and a single billionaire from Algeria.
The list of Arab millionaires includes all billionaires of Arab origin in the Middle Eastern and North African Arab-speaking countries, listed in Forbes' annual 40 Billionaires list for the year 2026, with wealth calculated up to March 1, 2026.
