This story is part of Forbes’ coverage of Singapore’s Richest 2026. See the full list here.
Amid geopolitical uncertainty, Singapore remains a beacon of stability. The city-state’s economy expanded 6.1% in the first half of 2026, reflecting robust manufacturing growth in electronics and precision engineering, driven by surging AI-related demand. While a total of 35 listees are wealthier than a year ago, the collective net worth of the country’s 50 richest was flat at $239 billion, impacted by a decline in tech-related fortunes.
Facebook cofounder and longtime Singapore resident Eduardo Saverin claims the No. 1 spot for the fourth year in a row, despite a $10.1 billion decrease in his wealth to $32.9 billion. Shares of Facebook parent Meta Platforms fell 25% over the year, hit by a 14% drop in net profit in the second quarter, partly due to surging AI infrastructure costs and despite a 28% jump in revenue.
Real estate magnate Kwek Leng Beng remains the second-richest after adding $1.8 billion to lift his fortune, which he shares with his family, to $16.1 billion. The family’s flagship City Developments has been divesting non-core assets over the past year while sharpening its focus on the residential and hospitality sectors. In December it acquired a Holiday Inn hotel in London for $370 million and continues to bid for prime residential sites at home.
Siblings Robert & Philip Ng hold onto their position at No. 3 with an uptick in their combined wealth to $14.3 billion. Their Singapore-listed developer, Far East Orchard, announced in November its plan to transform by 2030 into an integrated global network operating hotels and student housing while also managing funds that will invest in new properties.
The biggest gainer in both dollar and percentage terms is the Lee family, which draws the bulk of its wealth from a stake in Oversea-Chinese Banking (OCBC). The family lands at No. 4 with a combined net worth of $13.8 billion, up 78%. Shares of OCBC nearly doubled over the past year, driven by the bank’s buoyant wealth management business, which is expected to complete its acquisition of HSBC’s Indonesian retail and wealth management operations in 2027.
Another notable gainer is Lim Hock Chee, cofounder and CEO of Sheng Siong Group, Singapore’s second-largest supermarket chain by revenue. The company’s shares surged 54% amid its store expansion, boosting his family’s wealth to $2.7 billion.
Quek Leng Chye, a Singapore-based brother of Malaysian billionaire Quek Leng Chan, is the sole newcomer, debuting with a $1.2 billion fortune. A cousin of Kwek Leng Beng, Leng Chye is managing director of Hong Leong Holdings, a property development and investment arm of conglomerate Hong Leong Group.
Amid intense competition from rivals such as TikTok Shop, the stock of New York-listed tech heavyweight Sea plunged by nearly a third from a year ago as margins in its e-commerce arm were squeezed. The wealth of its cofounders, Forrest Li, Gang Ye and David Chen, was down $5.85 billion in total.
The returnees this year include husband and wife Gordon and Celine Tang, who rejoin after a two-year hiatus on a 20% rise in shares of Suntec REIT, one of their key holdings. The three Wong brothers, Charles, Keith and Kelvin, who own and run privately held Charles & Keith, a homegrown footwear and accessories brand, return after a one-year absence. The minimum net worth to qualify for the list is $1 billion, the same as last year.
Full Coverage of Singapore’s Richest 2026:
Editing assistance and additional reporting by Gloria Haraito. Reporting by Chengbo Liu, Anuradha Raghunathan, Jessica Tan and Jennifer Wells.
Methodology
The list was compiled using shareholding and financial information obtained from the families and individuals, stock exchanges, analysts and other sources. Unlike our billionaire rankings, this list includes family fortunes, including those shared among extended families such as that of Kwek Leng Beng and his cousins. Net worths are based on stock prices and exchange rates as of the close of markets on Aug. 14, 2026. Private companies are valued based on similar companies that are publicly traded. The list can also include foreign citizens with business, residential or other ties to the country, or citizens who don’t reside in the country but have significant business or other ties to the country. The editors reserve the right to amend any information or remove any listees in light of new information.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to JLL Value and Risk Advisory, Knight Frank and other specialists who helped with reporting and valuations, including Govinda Singh of Avison Young and Daniel Voellm of AP Hospitality Advisors.
Be the first to comment