Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud is the richest Arab in Forbes Middle East's 2026 ranking at $19.9 billion. He leads Emirati DAMAC founder Hussain Sajwani at $15.3 billion and Saudi healthcare entrepreneur Sulaiman Al Habib at $10.2 billion. Forbes Middle East ranks Arab billionaires across the Middle East and North Africa, or MENA. For wealth-site readers, the story is the gap at the top and the concentration behind it, according to Walaw reporting Forbes Middle East in Walaw's report on Forbes Middle East.
Table of Contents
- How large is Alwaleed's lead?
- Where does Alwaleed's fortune sit?
- Why are fewer billionaires worth more?
- How should you compare peer fortunes?
How large is Alwaleed's lead?
Alwaleed rose to $19.9 billion in 2026 from $16.5 billion in 2025. That growth kept him first despite strong gains below him.
Sajwani climbed to $15.3 billion from $10.2 billion last year. Alwaleed remains about 30% ahead of him and roughly double Al Habib's $10.2 billion.
- Alwaleed: $19.9 billion, up from $16.5 billion
- Sajwani: $15.3 billion, up from $10.2 billion
- Al Habib: $10.2 billion, about half Alwaleed's total
Where does Alwaleed's fortune sit?
Kingdom Holding is the anchor of his wealth. About 40% of his 2025 $16.5 billion fortune lay in his Saudi-listed Kingdom Holding stake. The rest spans high-profile private holdings.
Peace Magazine, reporting Forbes, lists Four Seasons, the Paris George V hotel and X among his investments in Peace Magazine's report on Forbes. That mix links his net worth to listed shares and private deals. Listed-share moves can shift the total fast, even when private assets stay steady.
Why are fewer billionaires worth more?
The MENA region counts 37 Arab billionaires in 2026 versus 39 in 2025. Combined wealth still rose 8% to $138.7 billion from $128.4 billion. The pattern is concentration at the top.
The two leaders added large gains while the total headcount fell. Country totals show the same tilt. Saudi Arabia dominates the Arab list with 12 billionaires worth $50.4 billion led by Alwaleed, while the UAE holds seven Arab billionaires worth $35.4 billion led by Sajwani, according to Forbes Middle East coverage via YouTube Shorts and 7Globe in 7Globe's Forbes billionaire-hub report.
How should you compare peer fortunes?
Always match the Forbes year and valuation date. Forbes figures are single-day estimates using stock prices and exchange rates on March 7, 2025 for 2025 and March 1, 2026 for 2026, so real-time values fluctuate, according to South Florida Reporter reporting Forbes methodology in South Florida Reporter's Forbes methodology report. That timing matters for Alwaleed comparisons.
He returned to Forbes World's Billionaires in 2025 after absence since 2017 alongside 15 Saudis. For a clean peer check, compare Alwaleed, Sajwani and Al Habib from the same 2026 list only. Do not mix a 2025 total for one peer with a 2026 total for another.