NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Washington, D.C., July 10, 2025 — India has emerged as the top country of origin for billionaire immigrants in the United States, according to “America’s Richest Immigrants 2025,” released by Forbes on July 9 . The rankings feature a record 125 foreign-born billionaires residing in the U.S., representing 43 countries and commanding a collective net worth of approximately $1.3 trillion, or 18% of the nation’s estimated $7.2 trillion billionaire total.
Country Ranking Highlights
- India tops the list with 12 self-made billionaires, surpassing previous leaders Israel and Taiwan, which each placed second with 11.
- The surge reflects growing contributions from Indian immigrants in key sectors such as technology and finance.
Jay Chaudhry: The Richest Indian‑American
India’s standout is Jay Chaudhry, founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Zscaler, ranked as the wealthiest Indian immigrant in the U.S. with an estimated net worth of $17.9 billion.
- He is the only Indian immigrant among the top 10 richest immigrant billionaires overall, positioned at No. 8.
- Born in Panoh, a remote village in Himachal Pradesh lacking electricity and running water during his childhood, Chaudhry moved to the U.S. in 1980 to pursue graduate studies.
- He launched Zscaler in 2007–08; today, the publicly traded company is valued in the tens of billions, with Chaudhry personally holding around 40% ownership.
- His entrepreneurial track record includes founding four previous cybersecurity firms—SecureIT, CipherTrust, CoreHarbor, and AirDefense—all sold to industry acquirers.
Journalists have highlighted Chaudhry’s transformation from his Himalayan origins to spearheading a $20 billion cybersecurity powerhouse based in the U.S.
Additional Indian-Origin Billionaires
Forbes’ list includes a roster of Indian-origin billionaires across industries:
| Name | Net Worth (approx.) | Industry / Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vinod Khosla | $9.2 B | Sun Microsystems, Venture Capital |
| Romesh T. Wadhwani | $5 B | Software / Symphony Technology |
| Rajiv Jain | $4.8 B | Finance |
| K. Ram Shriram | $3 B | Google early investor, Venture Capital |
| Raj Sardana | $2 B | Technology Services |
| David Paul | $1.5 B | Medical Devices |
| Nikesh Arora | $1.4 B | Cybersecurity (Palo Alto Networks), SoftBank |
| Sundar Pichai | $1.1 B | Alphabet CEO |
| Satya Nadella | $1.1 B | Microsoft CEO |
| Neerja Sethi | $1 B | IT Consulting |
Collectively, immigrant billionaires across all countries are primarily self‑made (93%), with 53 in technology and 28 in finance.
Wider Immigrant Billionaire Landscape
Forbes confirms that immigrant billionaires compose roughly 14% of U.S. billionaires—up from previous years—with origins spanning 43 nations. The list continues to be dominated by familiar names: Elon Musk (originally from South Africa) leads all immigrant billionaires with around $393.1 billion; Sergey Brin (Russia-born) is second with $139.7 billion; Jensen Huang (Taiwan-born) ranks third with $137.9 billion, contributing to Taiwan’s total of 11 billionaires on the list.
Significance and Context
This annual Forbes ranking, now in its seventh iteration, showcases the growing economic impact of immigrant entrepreneurs in the U.S. It marks:
- New records in both quantity and collective wealth.
- India’s rise above Israel and Taiwan in immigrant billionaire numbers.
- The outsized role of Indian-origin leaders in U.S. tech and finance sectors.
Jay Chaudhry’s ascent from a Himalayan village to leading a multibillion-dollar cybersecurity firm encapsulates the broader story of immigrant-driven innovation and value creation in modern America.
