Lucas Jackson/REUTERS
MacKenzie and Jeff Bezos could tie at No. 4 on the world's richest people list.
- Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos, have said they will divorce.
- Their separation of assets could affect the Amazon CEO's ranking among the richest people in the world.
- If MacKenzie Bezos acquired half of Jeff Bezos' $137 billion fortune - a possible outcome of a divorce settlement - the two would be tied at No. 4 on the list with $68.5 billion each.
- MacKenzie Bezos would easily become the richest woman in the world.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos could find himself dropping a few spots on the list of world's richest people soon.
And his soon-to-be ex-wife MacKenzie Bezos might rocket up the list.
Jeff Bezos currently sits atop the list of the world's richest people with a fortune of $137 billion. If MacKenzie Bezos acquires exactly half of that in a divorce settlement - a possible outcome, considering Washington's divorce laws and their reported lack of a prenuptial agreement - that would leave both people with $68.5 billion each.
In that scenario, Jeff Bezos would fall to No. 4 on the list of the world's richest people, according to Bloomberg's real-time billionaire index. MacKenzie Bezos, who is currently unranked, would join him there.
Read more: Even if Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos don't split his $137 billion fortune evenly, she still has a chance at becoming the world's richest woman
A net worth of $68.5 billion would land the Bezoses just ahead of Amancio Ortega, a Spanish fashion retailer with a net worth of $62.2 billion, and one spot below France's Bernard Arnault, also a fashion retailer, whose net worth is $72.2 billion.
Bill Gates would regain his title as the world's richest person, a distinction he held for more than two decades from the 1990s until Jeff Bezos overtook him last year. Gates' fortune is currently estimated at $93 billion.
Second on the list would be investor Warren Buffett, with a fortune of $80.8 billion.
Meanwhile, a 50/50 payout for MacKenzie Bezos would easily make her the richest woman in the world, surpassing the $45.7 billion net worth of L'Oreal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, who currently ranks 11th on the overall list.
Forbes releases its annual billionaire's ranking every March. Should their divorce be finalized by then, MacKenzie Bezos could make her debut on the list.
Next Story
I tutor the children of some of Dubai's richest people. One of them paid me $3,000 to do his homework.
John Jacob Astor IV was one of the richest men in the world when he died on the Titanic. Here's a look at his life.
A 13-year-old girl helped unearth an ancient Roman town. She's finally getting credit for it over 90 years later.
Sell-off in Indian stocks continues for the third session
Samsung Galaxy M55 Review — The quintessential Samsung experience
The ageing of nasal tissues may explain why older people are more affected by COVID-19: research
Amitabh Bachchan set to return with season 16 of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', deets inside
Top 10 places to visit in Manali in 2024
