According to a September 2025 Forbes report, the richest African American is software entrepreneur Alexander Karp, with an estimated net worth of $14.3 billion. However, it is important to note that other financial publications and earlier reports within the same year list different individuals as the wealthiest.

Forbes’ September 2025 ranking In a September 10, 2025 update, Forbes reported the following ranking for the richest Black billionaires in America:

1. Alexander Karp – $14.3 billion

The co-founder and CEO of the software firm Palantir Technologies topped Forbes’s list of Black billionaires in September 2025 due to a significant rise in his company’s stock price.

2. David Steward – $12.4 billion

The founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT), a major IT provider, was the wealthiest Black American earlier in 2025 before being surpassed by Karp.

3. Robert F. Smith – $10.8–$11 billion

Smith is the founder and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, the largest Black-owned private equity firm in the U.S..

4. Michael Jordan – $3.8 billion

The NBA legend’s wealth comes from his ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets (which he recently sold), endorsements, and various investments.

5. Oprah Winfrey – $3 billion

The media mogul has amassed her fortune through her media and business empire, including her talk show, magazine, and OWN cable network.

6. Jay-Z – $2.5 billion

A rapper and entrepreneur, Jay-Z’s fortune is based on his music career, record label, and investments, including his Armand de Brignac champagne.

7. Adebayo Ogunlesi – $2.2 billion

The Nigerian-born U.S. citizen is the founding partner of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which was acquired by BlackRock in October 2025.

8. Earvin “Magic” Johnson – $1.5–$1.6 billion

The basketball legend’s wealth stems from a variety of business investments, including his majority ownership stake in insurance firm EquiTrust.

9. Tyler Perry – $1.4 billion

An actor, writer, and media producer, Perry became a billionaire in 2020 and has since grown his fortune from his successful movie and television franchises.

10. LeBron James – $1.3 billion

The NBA star became the first active billionaire basketball player in 2022. His wealth comes from his player salary, endorsements, and business ventures.