Larry Ellison Is One of the World’s Richest People — And Basically Owns a Hawaiian Island

As the founder and largest shareholder of Oracle, the multinational tech giant best known for its database software, Larry Ellison’s net worth tends to fluctuate. That’s because he owns about 1.16 billion shares of the company, per Axios, along with investments in several other big-name companies, meaning his fortune rises and falls with the stock market.

While many are familiar with Ellison’s name, those less informed about tech or the personal business of billionaires might not be.

But he became a hot topic in September 2025 when he surpassed Elon Musk on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, briefly becoming the world’s richest man. Of course, that title often bounces between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, so Ellison may slip in and out of the top spot. Still, he can now say he’s held the title of the richest man alive at least once in his lifetime.

That said, you’re probably wondering what his fortune looks like, huh? Well, here’s a breakdown of how he built it.

Larry Ellison’s net worth sits at a whopping $393 billion, per Axios, but don’t be surprised if it rises or falls by a few billion here and there. With so much of his money tied into stocks, his net worth can shift in big or small increments on any given day.

For example, Ellison’s net worth jumped by $101 billion on Sept. 10, 2025, according to Axios, after Oracle’s stock climbed nearly 40 percent, going from around $241 on Sept. 9 to $338 a share the next morning.

Anyone with Oracle stock made some pretty good money that day, but for Ellison, it was enough to secure the title of world’s richest person.

Since so much of Ellison’s wealth is connected to Oracle, it’s worth knowing how the company got its start. He founded it in 1977 and stayed on as CEO until September 2014, per his Oracle bio. Despite how much Oracle has grown since its launch, it’s surprising that Ellison still owns about 40 percent of the company, a company that brings in billions every year.

In fact, its most recently reported annual revenue was $53 billion for the year ending May 31, 2024, per Bloomberg.

While he stepped down as CEO after nearly four decades, Ellison is still a key player at Oracle, serving as chairman of the board and chief technology officer.

With a net worth like Ellison’s, it’s not surprising he was able to relocate to the Hawaiian island of Lanai permanently in 2020. While he first purchased most of the island in 2012, dropping a cool $300 million, per Forbes, it wasn’t until eight years later that it officially became his full-time home.

Beyond his massive stake in Oracle and his slice of paradise in Hawaii, Ellison also invests in major companies like Tesla and Paramount Skydance, which help keep his fortune growing.

According to Forbes, he sat on Tesla’s board from 2018 to 2022 and owned “45 million split-adjusted shares” before stepping down.

He also holds roughly 50 percent of Paramount Skydance, so his money is spread out, but not too thin.