Last Updated:
While tech magnates such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg see a combined wealth erosion of $208 billion in a single day after Trump Tariffs, Warren Buffett not only avoids the plunge but actually gains $12.7 billion year-to-date (YTD).
Warren Buffett, who holds a record $334 billion in cash, has large stakes in consumer goods, energy, insurance, and banking sectors that are less volatile and more resilient to trade policy shocks.
In a dramatic market shakeup triggered by Donald Trump’s tariff hike announcement on all US goods imports, the world’s wealthiest individuals suffered massive losses — shedding a combined $208 billion in a single day, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Yet, amidst the turmoil, one man stood resilient: Warren Buffett.
While tech magnates such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg saw tens of billions wiped off their fortunes amid the market crash following the tariff announcement, Buffett not only avoided the plunge but actually gained $12.7 billion year-to-date (YTD). His net worth now stands at $155 billion, matching that of Bill Gates, according to the latest rankings.
Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos Suffer The Steepest Fall
At the forefront of this wealth erosion was Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who saw $17.9 billion vanish from his net worth after Meta shares plunged 9%. Close behind was Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, losing $15.9 billion in the biggest drop in Amazon’s stock since 2022.
Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and known associate of Trump through his advisory roles and alignment with some federal departments such as DOGE, was third on the list. He lost $11 billion as Tesla shares tumbled by 5.5%, rattled by investor panic post the tariff announcement.
Why Warren Buffett Stands Apart
The 93-year-old chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, stood out as the lone gainer in the top 10 billionaire list. Unlike his tech-heavy peers, Buffett’s portfolio includes large stakes in consumer goods, energy, insurance, and banking sectors that are less volatile and more resilient to trade policy shocks.
| Rank | Name | Total Net Worth | $ YTD Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $302B | -$130B |
| 2 | Jeff Bezos | $193B | -$45.2B |
| 3 | Mark Zuckerberg | $179B | -$28.1B |
| 4 | Bernard Arnault | $158B | -$18.6B |
| 5 | Bill Gates | $155B | -$3.38B |
| 6 | Warren Buffett | $155B | + $12.7B |
| 7 | Larry Ellison | $150B | -$42.1B |
| 8 | Larry Page | $134B | -$34.6B |
| 9 | Steve Ballmer | $127B | -$19.5B |
| 10 | Sergey Brin | $126B | -$32.3B |
Also, Berkshire Hathaway, under Buffett’s leadership, sold $134 billion in equities in 2024, anticipating overvaluation and a potential downturn. By year-end, it held a record $334 billion cash pile, mostly in short-term US Treasury bills, offering both safety and steady returns.
Buffett had long complained about sky-high valuations and refrained from major acquisitions. “We were aided by a predictable large gain in investment income,” he noted in his February shareholder letter, crediting higher yields on Treasury bills.
One of the most significant moves was slashing Berkshire’s Apple stake by two-thirds before its 28% plunge, triggered by concerns over US tariffs on China — a key part of Apple’s supply chain. He also pared down holdings in Bank of America and Citigroup, both down over 20% in 2025.
Despite recent market jitters, Berkshire’s class B shares are up 9 per cent year-to-date, buoyed by its diverse portfolio spanning railroads, insurance, and energy — sectors less vulnerable to global shocks. As markets wobble, Buffett’s old-school investing style is proving its enduring value.
Trump Tariffs & Market Crash
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday imposed ‘reciprocal tariffs’ across countries, including 26 per cent on India, on the majority of goods coming into the US, from April 9. Following this, analysts expect the US economic to fall into recession.
As a result, the S&P 500 shed $5.06 trillion in market value in two days, according to Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices. The benchmark index, which entered correction Thursday, sank more than 10% over the past two days.
The Nasdaq on Friday closed in a bear market for the first time since 2022, down more than 20% from its record high in December. The Dow closed in correction, down more than 10% from its record high in December. It is the first time the Dow has closed in correction since March 7, 2022, according to Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. The Dow posted its biggest back-to-back losses since March 2020, during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
