Forbes’ latest tally of self-made billionaires under the age of 40 highlights a new wave of wealth linked to India and its diaspora, driven by fintech, rewards platforms and artificial intelligence. The list, compiled in December 2025, records 71 self-made billionaires aged 39 or younger worldwide, matching a previous peak seen in 2021.
Indian tech billionaires under 40 drive AI and fintech gains
Leading the Indian-origin contingent is Ankur Jain, ranked 19th globally with an estimated net worth of $3.4 billion. Based in the United States, Jain founded Bilt Rewards in 2019, a New York rewards startup that enables renters to earn loyalty points on rent payments. Private investors placed a July valuation for Bilt at about $10.8 billion, a rise that has helped propel Jain onto the Forbes list. He previously cofounded Humin, a contact management app sold to Tinder in 2016.
Close behind is Nikhil Kamath, ranked 20th with a net worth estimated at $3.3 billion, and the only entrepreneur based in India to appear in the global top 40. Kamath cofounded Zerodha in Bengaluru in 2010 with his elder brother Nithin Kamath. Zerodha has expanded into one of India’s largest discount brokerage firms; Forbes estimates the privately held company’s valuation at nearly $8 billion. Nikhil Kamath serves as the firm’s chief financial officer while Nithin is chief executive.
Also featured among the top ranks are Surya Midha and Adarsh Hiremath, who share the 27th position with estimated net worths of $2.2 billion apiece. The pair are cofounders of Mercor, a San Francisco-based AI recruiting startup they launched in 2023 together with Brendan Foody. Mercor helps major AI labs recruit specialist talent and assist with model training. Following a valuation of around $10 billion in October, Midha and Hiremath became the youngest self-made billionaires in the world at age 22. Midha serves as chairman and Hiremath as chief technology officer; both were named Thiel Fellows in 2024.
The prominence of these founders on Forbes’ list reflects broader trends. Fintech and digital rewards models continue to create scalable consumer and enterprise businesses, while AI-driven talent platforms are increasingly central to the growth of large-scale machine learning projects. The concentration of wealth among young founders also illustrates how rapid private valuations and investor appetite for tech companies can translate into significant personal fortunes at an early age.
For India, and for Indian-origin entrepreneurs abroad, the results signal strengthened global influence in key technology sectors. Companies such as Zerodha demonstrate the domestic market’s capacity to nurture high-value financial technology, while startups like Mercor show how India-linked founders can capture major roles within the international AI ecosystem.
Yet these developments also raise questions about market concentration and the role of private markets in assigning valuations. Rapid rises in private company valuations can produce headline-making wealth but may mask longer-term commercial and regulatory challenges. Observers will be watching how these firms convert private valuations into sustainable public businesses.
For now, the Forbes list offers clear evidence that Indian founders and entrepreneurs of Indian origin remain a force in global technology and finance, reshaping where and how wealth is created in the digital age.
Key Takeaways:
- Forbes reports 71 self-made billionaires under 40 worldwide, with four Indian and Indian-origin founders among the top 40.
- Ankur Jain ($3.4bn) and Nikhil Kamath ($3.3bn) lead Indian representation through Bilt Rewards and Zerodha respectively.
- 22-year-olds Surya Midha and Adarsh Hiremath became billionaires after Mercor’s $10bn valuation, highlighting AI-driven wealth creation.
- The rise of fintech, rewards platforms and AI recruitment underscores India’s role in next-generation tech and global talent flows.
