In brief
- Forbes real-time net worth: $241.6 billion on 27 October 2026, ranked No. 4.
- He reached No. 2 for the first time on 9 September 2026 at $273.2 billion.
- Dell Technologies shares fell 11.27% on 14 October after a Barclays downgrade.
- He owns about 40% of Dell Technologies, plus private holdings through DFO Management.
- He and Susan Dell committed $6.25 billion in 2025 to investment accounts for 25 million US children.
Michael Dell’s net worth was $241.6 billion on 27 October 2026, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires list, which ranks him fourth in the world. The Dell Technologies founder briefly became the second-richest person on the planet in September, but a sharp fall in the company’s shares in mid-October took about $35 billion off his fortune in two trading days.
Michael Dell net worth at a glance
| Date | Forbes estimate | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | About $141 billion | n/a |
| 9 September 2026 | $273.2 billion | No. 2 |
| 1 October 2026 | $268 billion | No. 4 |
| 14 October 2026 | $256.4 billion | No. 5 |
| 27 October 2026 | $241.6 billion | No. 4 |
Dell is 61, lives in Austin, Texas, and owns about 40% of Dell Technologies, where he is chairman and chief executive. He ranked No. 4 on the 2026 Forbes 400.
How AI servers nearly doubled his fortune
Dell Technologies has moved from being known mainly as a PC maker to supplying the server racks and storage that power AI data centres. Its shares rose 327% between January and early September 2026, from about $128 to an all-time high of $555.31 on 9 September.
Also readJake Paul Net Worth 2026: Fight Purses, Businesses and EarningsThat rally lifted Dell’s net worth by 94% from the start of the year. On 9 September he passed Larry Page to reach No. 2 on Forbes’ list for the first time, behind only Elon Musk. He also owns a multi-billion-dollar stake in Broadcom, another chip and hardware company that has gained from AI spending.
The October slide
The reversal came quickly. On 14 October, Barclays downgraded Dell Technologies from overweight to equal-weight, and hotter-than-expected US inflation data set off a wider sell-off in technology stocks. Dell shares closed down 11.27% at $507.93, and Forbes cut his net worth by more than $20 billion to $256.4 billion.
The selling continued the next day. The shares fell more than 9% in morning trading on 15 October, and Forbes estimated his fortune at $241.2 billion, briefly pushing him down to sixth place.
By 27 October the shares had steadied. Forbes put him at $241.6 billion, up $4.4 billion on the day, and back at No. 4.
Wealth outside Dell Technologies
Much of Dell’s money sits in DFO Management, his private investment firm. Forbes says DFO owns the Four Seasons Maui and holds indirect stakes in Applebee’s, IHOP and Calvin Klein, along with hotels and liquid corporate credit investments.
Dell Technologies spun off VMware in 2021, and Broadcom bought VMware in 2023 for $69 billion.
Philanthropy
Michael and Susan Dell ranked No. 16 on Forbes’ 2026 list of the most generous givers, with $3.3 billion donated over their lifetimes. In 2025 they committed $6.25 billion to seed investment accounts for 25 million American children, at $250 each.
They have also given $750 million for a hospital and research campus at the University of Texas at Austin.
How he built Dell
Dell started selling computers from his University of Texas dorm room at 19 and, by Forbes’ account, grossed about $80,000 by the end of his first year. He left university without a degree.
He took the company private in 2013 with Silver Lake Partners, merged it with EMC in a $60 billion deal in 2016 to form Dell Technologies, and returned it to the public market in 2018. You can see how his fortune ranks among other founders in our list of the world’s richest people and our guide to the hidden richest people in the world.
With about 40% of his company in a single stock that trades on AI sentiment, Dell’s ranking is likely to keep moving week to week.
Sources: Forbes, Forbes Australia, Forbes Italia, Forbes Argentina
Frequently asked questions
What is Michael Dell's net worth in 2026?
Forbes estimated Michael Dell's net worth at $241.6 billion on 27 October 2026, ranking him fourth in the world.
Why did Michael Dell's net worth fall in October 2026?
Dell Technologies shares fell 11.27% on 14 October after Barclays downgraded the stock and inflation data triggered a tech sell-off, then dropped further the next day. Forbes cut his net worth by about $35 billion over the two days.
How much of Dell Technologies does Michael Dell own?
He owns about 40% of Dell Technologies, where he is chairman and chief executive.
Was Michael Dell ever the second-richest person in the world?
Yes. On 9 September 2026 Forbes ranked him No. 2 for the first time, at $273.2 billion, behind only Elon Musk.
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