If you’ve watched Crazy Rich Asians, you may have wondered whether Kevin Kwan’s characters have real-life counterparts in Singapore. They do, in a sense. Singapore is home to six family fortunes worth more than US$10 billion each.
Below, we go through Forbes’ latest top 10 one by one, then the full top 50, and what the numbers say about where Singapore’s big fortunes come from.
Note: Net worths are in US dollars, as Forbes publishes them. Where we convert to Singapore dollars, we use US$1 = S$1.27.
Key Facts About Singapore’s Richest People (2026)
Rankings and net worths are from Forbes’ Singapore’s 50 Richest 2026, valued at the close of markets on 14 August 2026. The analysis figures are SmartWealth’s own.
- Eduardo Saverin is the richest person in Singapore in 2026, with a net worth of US$32.9 billion
- Singapore’s 50 richest are worth a combined US$239 billion (about S$304 billion) in 2026
- It takes at least US$1 billion to make Forbes’ Singapore’s 50 Richest list in 2026
- SmartWealth’s analysis of the Forbes 2026 list shows that the top 10 hold 58% of the 50 richest’s combined wealth
- Real estate is the most common industry on Forbes’ 2026 Singapore list, with Forbes filing 15 of the 50 fortunes under it
- Forbes’ separate World’s Billionaires list counted 55 billionaires in Singapore as of March 2026, up from 49 a year earlier
SIDE NOTE
A policy bought years ago. Savings in three places. A will that's still on the to-do list.
None of it is wrong. It's just not a plan yet.
There's an order that turns the pieces into one system, and it doesn't require becoming a finance expert. Here's the order, in 7 steps, so you know what to sort out first.
Who Is the Richest Person in Singapore?
Eduardo Saverin, the Brazilian-born co-founder of Facebook, is the richest person in Singapore in 2026, with a net worth of US$32.9 billion according to Forbes’ Singapore’s 50 Richest list. It’s the fourth straight year he has topped the ranking.
He’s a long way ahead. Saverin is worth roughly twice as much as Kwek Leng Beng and family in second place, and that’s after his fortune shrank by US$10.1 billion when Meta’s shares fell 25% over the year.
Saverin lives here, but he isn’t a Singapore citizen. That’s why another Forbes list puts someone else at the top, which we come back to later.
The 10 Richest People in Singapore in 2026
| Rank | Name | Net worth (US$) | Main source of wealth | 2025 rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eduardo Saverin | 32.9 billion | Facebook (Meta) | 1 |
| 2 | Kwek Leng Beng and family | 16.1 billion | Hong Leong Group, City Developments | 2 |
| 3 | Robert and Philip Ng | 14.3 billion | Far East Organization | 3 |
| 4 | Lee family | 13.8 billion | OCBC | 11 |
| 5 | Goh family | 13.5 billion | Nippon Paint | 4 |
| 6 | Wee family | 12 billion | UOB | 8 |
| 7 | Khoo family | 11 billion | Banking, hotels | 7 |
| 8 | Li Xiting | 10 billion | Mindray (medical devices) | 5 |
| 9 | Leo KoGuan | 8.2 billion | SHI International (IT) | 9 |
| 10 | Forrest Li | 7.7 billion | Sea (Shopee, Garena) | 6 |
Source: Forbes Singapore’s 50 Richest 2026 and 2025.
The Lee family is the only newcomer to the top 10, climbing seven places. Haidilao founders Zhang Yong and Shu Ping dropped out, slipping from 10th to 12th.
1) Eduardo Saverin: US$32.9 billion
Saverin co-founded Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard, and the bulk of his fortune is still his Meta shares. He’s a Brazilian citizen who renounced his US citizenship ahead of Facebook’s 2012 listing, and has long lived in Singapore.
These days he’s a venture capitalist. In 2015 he launched B Capital, a fund that now manages more than US$12 billion.
2) Kwek Leng Beng and family: US$16.1 billion
Kwek Leng Beng, 85, is executive chairman of Hong Leong Group, the conglomerate his father founded in 1941, and of City Developments (CDL), one of Singapore’s largest property developers.
Forbes counts the wealth of Kwek’s extended family, including his cousins, as a single entry. It rose by US$1.8 billion this year.
3) Robert and Philip Ng: US$14.3 billion
The Ng brothers control Far East Organization, which ranks among Singapore’s biggest private property developers and landlords. Their late father, Ng Teng Fong, founded it after moving to Singapore from China in 1934, and became known as “The King of Orchard Road”.
The family’s Hong Kong property arm, Sino Group, is chaired by Robert’s son Daryl, while Philip oversees the business in Singapore.
4) The Lee family: US$13.8 billion
The Lee family was the biggest gainer of 2026, with its fortune up 78%. Its main asset is a stake in OCBC, whose shares nearly doubled over the year on the back of its growing wealth management business.
The family includes the heirs of Lee Seng Wee, OCBC’s former chairman and CEO, who died in 2015. This is OCBC’s banking family, not the family of former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
5) The Goh family: US$13.5 billion
The Goh family are the heirs of Goh Cheng Liang, who died in August 2025 at the age of 98. His paint business, Wuthelam Group, began in a small Singapore factory, and in 1962 he teamed up with Japan’s Nippon Paint.
In 2021, his son Goh Hup Jin completed a US$12 billion stock and cash deal that gave him a majority stake in Nippon Paint, now the world’s fourth-largest paint maker by revenue.
6) The Wee family: US$12 billion
The Wee family’s fortune is built around UOB, which Wee Kheng Chiang co-founded in 1935 as the United Chinese Bank. His son, Wee Cho Yaw, led the bank for decades and died on 3 February 2024, aged 95.
The family also holds stakes in property developers UOL Group and Kheng Leong, and in Tiger Balm maker Haw Par.
QUICK CHECK
Can you answer these three questions?
1) If something happened to you tomorrow, how much would your family receive?
2) At 65, what monthly income will your savings and investments pay you?
3) If you never get round to a will, who inherits what, and in what proportion?
Most people manage one at best. Not because they're careless, but because nobody has shown them which order to tackle things in.
That order exists. Work through your finances in this sequence, from income and protection through to investments and estate planning.
7) The Khoo family: US$11 billion
The Khoos are heirs of the late banker Khoo Teck Puat, who co-founded Maybank in 1960 and invested in Standard Chartered in 1986. Most of today’s fortune traces back to 2006, when the family sold that Standard Chartered stake for US$4 billion.
In January 2026, the Estate of Khoo Teck Puat gave SingHealth S$135 million, which SingHealth calls the largest single contribution ever made to a public healthcare institution in Singapore.
8) Li Xiting: US$10 billion
Li Xiting co-founded Mindray, China’s largest maker of medical equipment. His fortune jumped during the Covid-19 pandemic on the back of the ventilators Mindray sold.
He’s a Singapore citizen, but Mindray is based in Shenzhen, and his Forbes profile says he splits his time between there and Singapore.
9) Leo KoGuan: US$8.2 billion
Leo KoGuan founded and chairs SHI International, a US-based IT provider that his ex-wife, Thai Lee, runs as CEO. He’s a US citizen who lives in Singapore.
He once claimed to be Tesla’s third-largest individual shareholder. In 2024, he posted on X that he was “no longer all-in-Tesla”, and he says he has since sold part of his stake.
10) Forrest Li: US$7.7 billion
Forrest Li founded Sea, the company behind Shopee and Garena, and joined the ranks of Singapore’s richest after listing it on the New York Stock Exchange in 2017.
This year was harder. Sea’s shares fell by nearly a third as competition from TikTok Shop squeezed Shopee’s margins, and Li dropped from sixth place to 10th.
Singapore’s 50 Richest: The Full 2026 List
| Rank | Name | Net worth (US$ billion) | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eduardo Saverin | 32.9 | Technology |
| 2 | Kwek Leng Beng and family | 16.1 | Real estate |
| 3 | Robert and Philip Ng | 14.3 | Real estate |
| 4 | Lee family | 13.8 | Finance and investments |
| 5 | Goh family | 13.5 | Manufacturing |
| 6 | Wee family | 12.0 | Finance and investments |
| 7 | Khoo family | 11.0 | Real estate |
| 8 | Li Xiting | 10.0 | Healthcare |
| 9 | Leo KoGuan | 8.2 | Technology |
| 10 | Forrest Li | 7.7 | Media and entertainment |
| 11 | Kwee brothers | 7.4 | Real estate |
| 12 | Zhang Yong and Shu Ping | 7.2 | Food and beverage |
| 13 | Kuok Khoon Hong and family | 4.7 | Food and beverage |
| 14 | Gang Ye | 4.3 | Media and entertainment |
| 15 | Lien family | 3.8 | Finance and investments |
| 16 | Ho family | 3.45 | Finance and investments |
| 17 | Arvind Tiku | 3.4 | Energy |
| 18 | Ji Qi | 3.35 | Real estate |
| 19 | Raj Kumar and Kishin RK | 3.3 | Real estate |
| 20 | Choo Chong Ngen | 3.2 | Real estate |
| 21 | Robert Friedland | 3.05 | Metals and mining |
| 22 | Richard Chandler | 3.0 | Finance and investments |
| 23 | Liang Xinjun | 2.8 | Finance and investments |
| 24 | Lim Hock Chee and family | 2.7 | Fashion and retail |
| 25 | Oei Hong Leong | 2.65 | Finance and investments |
| 26 | Ron Sim | 2.4 | Fashion and retail |
| 27 | Asok Kumar Hiranandani | 2.35 | Real estate |
| 28 | Sam Goi | 2.25 | Food and beverage |
| 29 | Koh Wee Meng | 2.2 | Real estate |
| 30 | Ong Beng Seng and Christina Ong | 2.1 | Diversified |
| 31 | Chew Gek Khim and family | 1.95 | Diversified |
| 32 | Yao Hsiao Tung | 1.9 | Manufacturing |
| 33 | Peter Lim | 1.85 | Finance and investments |
| 34 | David Xueling Li | 1.8 | Technology |
| 35 | Min-Liang Tan | 1.75 | Media and entertainment |
| 36 | Tang Wee Kit and family | 1.65 | Fashion and retail |
| 37 | George Raymond Zage III | 1.6 | Finance and investments |
| 38 | Lim Chap Huat | 1.55 | Real estate |
| 39 | John Lim | 1.5 | Real estate |
| 40 | Teo Swee Ann | 1.48 | Technology |
| 41 | Chua Thian Poh | 1.45 | Real estate |
| 42 | Binny Bansal | 1.4 | Technology |
| 43 | Michael Kum | 1.37 | Real estate |
| 44 | David Chen | 1.35 | Media and entertainment |
| 45 | Lim Kaling | 1.33 | Media and entertainment |
| 46 | Henry Ng and siblings | 1.32 | Manufacturing |
| 47 | Zhong Sheng Jian | 1.3 | Real estate |
| 48 | Quek Leng Chye | 1.2 | Diversified |
| 49 | Gordon and Celine Tang | 1.1 | Real estate |
| 50 | Wong brothers | 1.0 | Fashion and retail |
Source: Forbes Singapore’s 50 Richest 2026. Industry labels are Forbes’ own.
Thirty-five of the 50 are richer than a year ago. Quek Leng Chye of Hong Leong Holdings is the only first-timer, while Gordon and Celine Tang and the Wong brothers of Charles & Keith return to the list.
What the List Tells Us: SmartWealth’s Analysis
We added up Forbes’ figures to see where the money on the 2026 list actually sits.
The top 10 hold 58% of the wealth. SmartWealth’s analysis of the Forbes 2026 list shows the 10 richest hold US$139.5 billion of the US$239 billion owned by all 50. Saverin alone accounts for about 14%. The median listee, by comparison, is worth about US$2.5 billion.
Property is the most common route to the top. Forbes files 15 of the 50 fortunes under real estate, and together they hold about 30% of the combined wealth. In a country this short of land, that’s perhaps not surprising. Property also plays a part in how Singapore grew rich, from land sales that add to the national reserves to homes that hold much of households’ wealth, alongside its port, foreign investment, and finance.
Families hold just over half. Nineteen of the 50 entries are families, couples, or siblings, holding about US$122 billion between them. In fact, every entry from second to seventh place is a family fortune.
Banking runs deep. By our count, five fortunes have roots in banking: the Lee family (OCBC), the Wee, Lien, and Ho families (UOB), and the Khoo family (Maybank and Standard Chartered). Together they’re worth about US$44 billion, or 18% of the list. The Khoo family appears in both groups, since Forbes files it under real estate even though most of its money came from banking.
Why Different Lists Name a Different Richest Person
Search for Singapore’s richest person and you may see Eduardo Saverin or Jason Chang. Both are correct, because they top two different Forbes lists.
Singapore’s 50 Richest, published each August or September, counts whole families and includes foreign citizens who live or do business here. That’s why Saverin, a Brazilian citizen, comes first.
Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list, published each March, counts individuals by citizenship. On that list, Jason Chang, chairman of Taiwanese chip packaging and testing firm ASE, is the richest Singapore citizen, at US$14.2 billion as of March 2026. He lives in Taipei, and appears on Taiwan’s 50 Richest rather than Singapore’s.
In other words, “the richest person in Singapore” and “the richest Singaporean” are two different questions. Two of this year’s top 10, Saverin and KoGuan, aren’t Singapore citizens at all.
How Many Billionaires and Millionaires Are in Singapore?
Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list counted 55 billionaires in Singapore as of March 2026, up from 49 a year earlier.
Millionaires are far more common. Singapore had about 244,000 US-dollar millionaires in 2025, based on the UBS Global Wealth Report 2026, or roughly one in every 20 adults.
Neither number tells you much about the typical Singaporean. For a more realistic benchmark, see our breakdown of average household net worth in Singapore.
When the Founders Pass On: Succession and Estate Planning
What stood out to me going through the list is how few of the top fortunes are first-generation. Six of the top 10 were started by a parent or grandparent, and several handovers are recent: Wee Cho Yaw died in February 2024 and Goh Cheng Liang in August 2025, and Goh’s granddaughter April Goh was worth US$4 billion by March 2026 after inheriting part of his fortune.
Do these families pay inheritance tax? Not in Singapore. IRAS confirms that estate duty has been removed for deaths on and after 15 February 2008.
That doesn’t make passing on wealth simple. Without clear instructions, assets can be tied up for months, or end up with people you didn’t intend. Wealthy families often rely on wills, trusts, and family offices to avoid that.
For most of us, the basics are a valid will, up-to-date CPF nominations (your CPF savings don’t follow your will), and enough cover to leave something behind, such as legacy planning insurance. Our estate planning guide walks through each step.
What Can We Learn From the Richest People in Singapore?
Most fortunes on this list came from owning a business, often over several generations. The self-made names took big risks, and for every Sea or Mindray, plenty of similar ventures failed.
Building wealth on a salary is slower, but far more predictable. In my opinion, three habits matter most:
- Know your net worth. Our net worth calculator gives you a figure in minutes, and FinSnap helps you track it year by year.
- Plan for the long term. A retirement plan shows how much you’ll need and whether you’re on track.
- Protect what you build. A serious illness or the loss of an income can undo years of saving. Term life cover is there for the years your family depends on you.
If you’d like someone to go through all of this with you, comprehensive financial planning looks at your protection, retirement, and estate plans together.
BEFORE YOU GO
Articles can tell you what generally makes sense. They can't see your policies, your CPF, or your plans.
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