Forbes 2026 Self-Made Women Billionaires List Reaches $166.3 Billion, Led by Diane Hendricks and Daniela Amodei
The 2026 list of America's wealthiest self-made women by Forbes includes 43 billionaires, an increase from 38, boasting a total wealth of $166.3 billion. The removal of the $1 billion minimum threshold excluded Dolly Parton, Kylie Jenner, and Selena Gomez. For the ninth consecutive year, Diane Hendricks, cofounder of ABC Supply, retains the top position despite a decrease in her wealth. Daniela Amodei, president of Anthropic, climbs to second place with $15.5 billion after securing $65 billion in funding. Judy Faulkner is in third place. Noteworthy figures on the list include Oprah Winfrey, Sara Blakely, and the youngest billionaire, Luana Lopes Lara, aged 30, with $2.6 billion. Nearly half of the list is comprised of technology entrepreneurs. The top 10 collectively hold $96 billion. Doris Fisher passed away in May 2026, and Alice Schwartz in September 2025.
Key facts
- Forbes' 2026 list counts 43 self-made women billionaires, up from 38 in 2025, with combined wealth of $166.3 billion
- A $1 billion minimum threshold applied for the first time, excluding Dolly Parton, Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez
- Diane Hendricks of ABC Supply holds No. 1 for a ninth straight year despite a decline in her fortune
- Daniela Amodei of Anthropic rose from No. 28 to No. 2, with wealth climbing from $1.2 billion to $15.5 billion after a $65 billion raise at a $965 billion valuation
- Judy Faulkner, founder of Epic Systems in 1979, ranks third
- Beyonce Knowles-Carter debuted on the list after her 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour grossed more than $450 million
- Luana Lopes Lara, 30, cofounder of Kalshi, is the youngest self-made billionaire at an estimated $2.6 billion
- The top 10 women hold $96 billion, more than triple the top 10 of the 2015 debut edition
Entities
Artists
- Diane Hendricks
- Daniela Amodei
- Dario Amodei
- Judy Faulkner
- Oprah Winfrey
- Sara Blakely
- Beyonce Knowles-Carter
- Colette Kress
- Luana Lopes Lara
- Caryn Seidman-Becker
- Ken Cornick
- Ken Hendricks
- Doris Fisher
- Alice Schwartz
- Dolly Parton
- Kylie Jenner
- Selena Gomez
- Ray Dalio
- Ken Griffin
Institutions
- Forbes
- ABC Supply
- Anthropic
- OpenAI
- Epic Systems
- Harpo
- King World Productions
- O, The Oprah Magazine
- Hearst
- Oprah Winfrey Network
- Discovery Communications
- Weight Watchers
- Apple
- Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
- Spanx
- Blackstone
- The Sara Blakely Foundation
- Parkwood Entertainment
- Cecred
- SirDavis
- Moet Hennessy
- Clear Secure
- Verified Identity Pass
- New York Stock Exchange
- Nvidia
- Cisco
- Kalshi
- Bridgewater Associates
- Citadel Securities
- Gap
- Bio-Rad Laboratories
- Stanford Graduate School of Business
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- MIT
- S&P 500
Locations
- United States
- Beloit
- Wisconsin
- Verona
- Chicago
- South Africa
- Henley on Klip
- North Carolina
- New York
- Brazil
Sources
- Quartz —