Google co-founder Sergey Brin, 52, has climbed to the world’s third-richest spot, surpassing Jeff Bezos and Larry Ellison, after Alphabet stock hit a new milestone. Brin’s net worth rose $4.9 billion to $255.6 billion, trailing only Google cofounder Larry Page ($277 billion) and Tesla’s Elon Musk ($725.3 billion), according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List.
The increase occurred after Alphabet, Google's parent company, became the fourth firm to reach a market valuation of $4 trillion this week. Bezos and Ellison now rank fourth and fifth, with fortunes of $253.2 billion and $251.3 billion, respectively. Brin, who holds fewer Class C Alphabet shares, has actively sold stock and donated millions in recent years to Parkinson’s research.
Alphabet's stock increased by 65% in 2025, marking the company's most significant annual rise since 2009, when shares soared by almost 93%. Alphabet solidified its AI leadership in 2025, launching Gemini 3 and Ironwood chips amid competition with Nvidia. Analysts cite Google’s AI adoption, infrastructure, and long-term investments as key drivers for growth in 2026.
Alphabet shares rose 1.3% to just over $337 on Tuesday, after earlier gains of 2.4%, marking a 6.6% rally over the past seven sessions.
Oracle shares fell 1.5% and Amazon shares dropped nearly 2%.
Alphabet became the fourth company to reach a $4 trillion market value, joining Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple, though Microsoft and Apple have since slipped below the threshold.
Alphabet gained further momentum after Apple announced it will use Google’s Gemini AI for the next generation of Siri and other AI models.
Apple Partnership Could Be Driving Sergey Brin to the World’s Third-Richest Spot
Apple announced a partnership with Google to use its Gemini AI for the next generation of Siri and other AI models, boosting Alphabet shares 1.3% to just over $337 on January 13. Alphabet’s stock surged 65% in 2025, its biggest single-year gain since 2009, driven by multiple Gemini releases, including Gemini 3 in November, and the launch of its Ironwood AI chips amid rising competition with Nvidia.
