The Friday File: The wealthiest 80 people on the planet have a combined worth of $1.9 trillion, the same as the total wealth of the bottom half of the world’s population; 3.5 billion people. The wealthiest 1% of the population, 70 million people, hold 48% of global wealth and average $1.8 million/person. Bill Gates is the world’s wealthiest individual and is worth $81.3 billion. Total global wealth is $263 trillion.