Mark Zuckerberg's Net Worth Plunges $29 Billion as Meta's Massive AI Investment Plan Alarms Investors

Meta's stock had experienced a 28% gain this year prior to Thursday's dramatic decline, contributing $57 billion to Zuckerberg's personal fortune.

Mark Zuckerberg has fallen to fifth position on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index—his lowest ranking in nearly two years—as investors reacted negatively to Meta Platforms Inc's announcement of a planned $30 billion debt sale. This reaction sent the company's shares plummeting amid a series of tech earnings reports that have reshuffled the ranks of the world's wealthiest individuals.

Meta's stock dropped by 11%—the steepest decline since 2022—following the company's announcement of the year's largest investment-grade bond offering, intended to increase spending on artificial intelligence research. This market response reduced Zuckerberg's net worth to $235.2 billion according to the wealth index.

He was surpassed by Amazon.com Inc.'s Jeff Bezos and Alphabet Inc.'s Larry Page, neither of whom had ranked among the four richest people globally since October 2023. Alphabet's shares increased by 2.5% after reporting revenue that exceeded analysts' expectations, driven by growing demand for its cloud and AI services.

Zuckerberg's $29.2 billion loss represents the fourth-largest single-day market-driven decline ever recorded on Bloomberg's wealth index.

Before Thursday's downturn, Meta's stock had gained 28% this year, adding $57 billion to Zuckerberg's fortune. However, concerns regarding Meta's expanding AI budget gave investors reason for caution, with at least two analysts downgrading the company's shares after it projected capital expenditures of up to $118 billion this year, with potentially higher spending in 2026.

Amazon shares have increased by more than 30% since mid-April lows. Investors have responded positively to its cloud-computing division, which has demonstrated steady growth through significant partnerships with AI companies including Anthropic. The company's third-quarter sales and profit exceeded estimates, causing shares to surge in after-hours trading.