Most people can easily list the usual titans of wealth — Elon Musk launching rockets, Jeff Bezos transforming online shopping, or Taylor Swift turning her music empire into a billion-dollar business.
Yet beyond all the headlines and constant social media attention, one woman has quietly risen above every other woman in terms of wealth, and still, many would struggle to recognize who she is.
That small-town dream soon grew into something unimaginable. The venture became Walmart, a retail powerhouse that today runs more than 10,000 stores and employs over two million people around the world.
Who is Alice Walton?
Alice Walton is the youngest child and only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton. From her family’s modest roots in rural Arkansas, she became part of the Walton dynasty — a family now considered the wealthiest in the United States, collectively worth nearly half a trillion dollars.
She has two surviving brothers, Jim and Rob Walton, who both sit on Walmart’s board of directors. Their brother John tragically died in a plane crash in June 2005, a loss that deeply affected the entire family.
Over the years, Alice has been married twice, though both marriages eventually ended in divorce.
What is Alice Walton’s net worth?
According to Forbes and Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, Alice Walton’s fortune now exceeds $116 billion. Over the past year alone, her wealth has jumped by more than $30 billion as Walmart’s stock surged roughly 40 percent to record highs.
This dramatic rise pushed her past L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, whose net worth fell to about $81.6 billion after a drop in cosmetics sales.
However, while Alice Walton holds the title of the world’s richest woman, she isn’t the richest person in her own family. Her brothers sit even higher on Bloomberg’s list — Jim in 12th place with an estimated $131 billion, and Rob just behind with around $129 billion to his name.
How has Alice Walton grown her wealth?
Despite her enormous fortune, Alice Walton has chosen a very different path from her brothers. Instead of focusing on corporate leadership, she has dedicated much of her life and resources to the arts and philanthropy.
In 2011, she founded the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in her hometown of Bentonville — a stunning museum that features works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Norman Rockwell.
The museum has become a major cultural destination in the heart of America, reflecting Alice’s belief that art and education should be accessible to everyone, not just those in major cities.
Her efforts to give back reach far beyond the art world.
This year, Bentonville will also welcome the opening of a new medical school named after her, which will enroll its first class of students. The project highlights her long-term goal to invest in education, healthcare, and the wellbeing of her community — rather than chasing fame or luxury.
Explaining her decision, she said she had been “stretched in too many directions” and needed to focus her energy, adding: “I’ve got a house in Fort Worth, so I’m going to move to town.”
The Walton family name is often linked to massive corporate influence, with a combined net worth of about $470 billion and ownership stakes in several major sports franchises. Yet Alice Walton stands out as the family’s most private yet deeply influential member — quietly shaping culture, philanthropy, and education in her own way.
