According to a list of 2014's biggest winners and losers, from the research firm Wealth-X, Alibaba's founder Jack Ma has made more money than anyone else with a profit of 18.5 billion dollars this year.
According to CNN, Ma has increased his wealth by 173 percent. The former English teacher who started his Chinese online market place with 60,000 dollars is now worth a total of 29.2 billion dollars.
Ma's banner year is tied to Alibaba's IPO in September this year which was the biggest ever.
Warren Bufffet was second on the list with a gain of 23 percent and his investment netting 13.5 billion dollars in 2014. The Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) chairman is now worth 72.6 billion dollars.
Bill Gates, the world's richest man is now worth 83.1 billion dollars and ranks at the third position on the list. The Microsoft owner made 10.5 billion dollars this year.
Meanwhile, the biggest losers' list comprised of Leonid Mikhelson, the biggest shareholder in Russian natural gas firm Novatek, at the top. Mikhelson saw his net worth go from 17 billion dollars to 10 billion dollars resulting in a decline of 41 percent.