Top 10 wealthiest couples in the world

SINGAPORE - Two is better than one in the life of the rich and famous. Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, according to a Forbes report in March, nails it once again - this time with his wife, on a Wealth-X list.

Bill and Melinda Gates are the world's wealthiest couple with a combined net worth of US$85.7 billion (S$116.87 billion). Gates, who co-founded Microsoft in 1975, had married Melinda in 1975, an employee in his company.

The couple, who are well-known philanthropist, head the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which gives primarily to agricultural development, health, educational and other social causes.

According to CNBC, the Gates also collaborated with American business magnate Warren Buffet in 2010 to set up Giving Pledge, an effort that encourages billionaires to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

Buffet himself made the list with his wife Astrid Menks. The couple has a combined fortune of US$65 billion.

Meanwhile, tech giant Mark Zuckerberg and his first lady of Facebook, Priscilla Chan, are the youngest couple on the list with a combined wealth of US$38.5 billion.

They first met at Zuckerberg's Harvard frat party while queuing for the bathroom in 2003. According to Business Insider, the couple have a common love for simplicity, all expressed on Facebook. Despite the pomp surrounding them, they enjoyed a to-go McDonald's lunch while sitting on the iconic Mignanelli Steps in Rome during their honeymoon.

The top ten list is dominated by couples from the US, with only two from Europe and one from Asia.

Chairman of the Dalian Wanda Group Wang Jianlin and wife Lin Ning are the sixth richest couple in the world with a total fortune of US$40.7 billion. Wang, whose son recently made headlines for buying two Apple Watches for his dog, is also China's second richest man.

Here's a look at the world's top 10 wealthiest couples:

1. Bill and Melinda Gates: US$85.7b

2. Amancio Ortega Gaona and Flora Perez: US$70.7b

3. Warren Bufffet and Astrid Menks: US$65.0b

4. David and Julia Koch: US$47.5b

5. Charles and Elizabeth Koch: US$47.4b

6. Wang Jianlin and Lin Ning: US$40.7b

7. Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos: US$39.8b

8. Bernard Arnault and Helene Mercier: US$38.7b

9. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan: US$38.5b

10. James and Lynne Walton: US$36.2b

debwong@sph.com.sg