Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Surpasses Bill Gates To Become World’s Richest Person

However, Amazon’s stock performance — capped off by another surge this morning — means that CEO Jeff Bezos is now ranked as the world’s richest person. Amazon shares are up over 2 percent this morning (to $1,078 as of this writing), and Bezos holds roughly 80 million shares in his company. This would push Bezos’ net worth to about $90.9 billion.

This would give the Amazon founder a razor-thin lead over Gates, whose net worth is valued at $90.7 billion. Besides his "main gig" at Amazon, Bezos also owns The Washington Post and is sending rockets into space with Blue Origin.

Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore, but over the past two decades has grown the company to become an online retail juggernaut that stocks just about every product imaginable from electronics to home goods to automotive supplies to Blu-ray movies to clothing. Amazon has even branched out into the grocery delivery market, is bolstering its efforts in the meal kit market, and just recently announced its intention to acquire national grocer Whole Foods.

Amazon has become a popular destination for online shoppers in part due to its relatively low prices and its Prime membership service. Amazon Prime costs $99 per year and gives members access to unlimited two-day shipping, and access to services like Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Photos and Prime Early Access.

In addition, if you live in certain zip codes across the U.S. you may even be eligible for free same-day deliveries and the Prime NOW delivery service which can have a wide selection of products delivered to your doorstep (or office) in two hours or less for free.

(Top Image Source: Steve Jurvetson/Flickr)