Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has officially joined Forbes’ billionaire list, becoming the first Black woman to achieve this milestone purely through her music and entrepreneurial ventures, without family wealth or inheritance.
According to Forbes, her net worth is now estimated at over $1 billion, fueled by sold-out global tours, chart-topping albums, and a diversified business empire.
At just 44, the mother of three has cemented herself as a financial powerhouse.
Beyoncé’s journey began in the late 1990s with Destiny’s Child, the girl group that sold over 60 million records and laid the foundation for her solo career.
She broke out with her 2003 solo debut, Dangerously in Love, eventually selling over 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists in history.
She is renowned for her electrifying live performances, bringing dance and choreography to a whole new level. Her 2023 Renaissance World Tour grossed a staggering Sh75.27 billion ($579 million) across 56 shows, averaging Sh1.3 billion ($10 million) per night, becoming one of her highest-earning tours ever.
Her 2024-2025 Cowboy Carter Tour defied country music barriers, debuting at No. 1 with hits like “Texas Hold ’Em.” Forbes initially valued her net worth at Sh10.14 billion ($780 million) in 2025 among self-made women.
Beyoncé’s business ventures have been equally lucrative.
She co-launched Ivy Park with Adidas in 2016, regaining full control in 2022, and launched luxury haircare line Cécred in 2024, which sold out instantly and is projected to earn Sh13 billion ($100 million).
Her talent also spans Hollywood, including a Golden Globe-nominated role in Dreamgirls (2006), an Oscar-winning song for King Richard, and the visual album Black Is King (2020), which brought in tens of millions.
Married to rapper and business mogul Jay-Z, whose net worth is reportedly Sh325 billion ($2.5 billion), the couple’s combined fortune exceeds $4 billion, though Beyoncé’s billions are indisputably her own.
She joins an elite club of music billionaires, including Rihanna, Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, and Dr. Dre, earning through stadium-shaking performances, social media influence with over 300 million Instagram followers, and recognition on power lists like Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women.
From Houston girl group star to billionaire trailblazer, Beyoncé redefines success when talent meets passion and resilience.