Alice Walton: The World’s Richest Woman and Her Passion for Art and Horses

According to Forbes’ list of billionaires for 2025, Alice Walton is the richest woman in the world, ranking 15th overall with a net worth of $101 billion. She surpasses Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the heir to L’Oréal, who ranks 20th. Walton’s fortune increased by 46% compared to last year, largely due to Walmart stock growth, as per the Hurun Global Rich List 2025. But how does this 75-year-old heiress spend her vast wealth? Despite the Walton family staying out of the public eye, it’s known that Alice Walton spends her money on fine art and horse ranching. A passionate art collector since childhood, she bought her first artwork—a Picasso—for just $2 at age 10. Over time, she amassed an impressive collection featuring iconic American artists like Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell, and Georgia O’Keeffe. In 2011, Walton founded the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, investing $50 million to house her collection, now valued at nearly $500 million. Another passion of hers is horse breeding at her Texas ranch, which she sold in 2017 for an undisclosed amount after initially listing it for $19.75 million. Traditionally a Republican donor, Walton made headlines in 2016 when she donated $353,400 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Following Walton on Forbes’ list of wealthiest women globally are Françoise Bettencourt Meyers ($67 billion), Julia Koch ($60 billion), Jacqueline Mars ($53 billion), and Rohini Nanda ($40 billion). Globally, Elon Musk tops the billionaire rankings with $342 billion, followed by Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Bernard Arnault. Among Greeks featured in the billionaire list, Maria Angelicoussis leads with $7.6 billion, followed by Vangelis Marinakis, Anna Angelicoussis, and others, primarily from shipping industries.