Oracle’s billionaire founder becomes world’s second-richest man: Who is Larry Ellison?

Larry Ellison, who owns nearly an entire Hawaiian island, co-founded Oracle, and helped power the CIA’s earliest databases. Now, at the age of 80, Ellison has become the second-richest person in the world. With this he even surpassed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and positionedhimself at the centre of America’s AI and political transformation. On the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, with a fortune swelling to $251 billion, Ellison trails only Elon Musk and pushed Jeff Bezos and Bernard Arnault further down the list.

But who is Larry Ellison? How did a college dropout become Silicon Valley’s stealth power player and now a key figure in Donald Trump’s AI ambitions?

Who is Larry Ellison?

Born in 1944 in New York City, Ellison was raised by his great-aunt and uncle on the south side of Chicago. After dropping out of college twice, first from the University of Illinois and then the University of Chicago, he moved to California in the late 1960s, joining the state’s early computer revolution, as per Bloomberg.

In 1977, Ellison reportedly co-founded a company called Software Development Laboratories, which later became Oracle. Their first major client was reportedly the CIA, and their project, codenamed “Oracle" helped lay the foundation for the global database industry.

According to Bloomberg, Ellison built his reputation not as a coder, but as a visionary and salesman. As he once told Bloomberg in 2003 interview that, “I’m not a tech guy. I sell software the way other people sell cars.”

Why is he back in the spotlight now?

Ellison’s net worth reportedly soared by $6 billion in a single day on July 15, after US officials eased chip restrictions on China, boosting Oracle shares by nearly 6 per cent, as per Bloomberg.

Oracle is now one of the biggest players in the AI cloud computing race, supplying infrastructure to firms like OpenAI. The company is reportedly challenging Amazon and Microsoft in the battle to host large language models and Ellison is emerging as a quiet giant in Washington’s AI-industrial complex. Bloomberg also reports that Oracle is set to play a key role in Trump’s proposed “Stargate” AI project, a multi-agency effort to secure American dominance in artificial intelligence.

How close is he to Donald Trump?

Ellison is one of the rare tech billionaires who publicly aligned with Trump. In 2020, he even hosted a fundraiser for the Republican leader at his estate in Rancho Mirage, California. This reportedly bought a lot of criticism from Silicon Valley circles.

According to Bloomberg, Oracle is in the running to acquire TikTok’s US operations if Trump forces a divestment. It also reportedly won government cloud contracts during Trump’s first term and is poised to benefit from his second-term industrial policy particularly around AI and digital infrastructure.

In previous Bloomberg reporting, Ellison called Trump “A friend who understands how important it is for America to win the technology race.”

What does Larry Ellison own?

According to Bloomberg data, Ellison owns 98 per cent of Lanai, the sixth-largest Hawaiian island, which he purchased for about $300 million in 2012. His real estate portfolio is reportedly among the most opulent in the world, featuring a $200 million estate in Woodside, California, alongside luxurious properties in Malibu, Newport, and Palm Beach.

Ellison also reportedly owns a fleet of luxury yachts and private jets, further cementing his billionaire lifestyle. He is the owner of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, one of the premier venues in professional tennis. In addition to these assets, Ellison co-founded Sensei, a wellness tech company focused on longevity, which blends artificial intelligence, nutrition, and spa culture, particularly integrated into his Hawaiian developments, as per Bloomberg reports.

How did he make his money?

Much of Ellison’s wealth reportedly comes from his 42 per cent stake in Oracle, which has bought back tens of billions of dollars in stock over the years. His fortune is now largely tied to Oracle’s AI bets, growing cloud business, and its alignment with government digital projects.

Bloomberg notes that Ellison has also gained from Tesla, he was once on the company’s board and holds a sizeable stake. Despite signing the Giving Pledge, his philanthropic donations remain limited compared to peers like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett.

Has Ellison ever been this rich before?

Ellison briefly overtook Zuckerberg and Bezos in 2022, but tech market volatility reportedly knocked him down. The current surge in Oracle’s share price, combined with global AI investments and Washington's support has put his ranking on firmer ground.

According to Bloomberg, Ellison is now about $17 billion richer than Zuckerberg and just $13 billion shy of Musk.

What makes him different from other tech titans?

Ellison isn’t an engineer like Musk or a coder like Zuckerberg. He’s a strategist, investor, and marketer, who built his empire through bold acquisitions, salesmanship, and government contracts. He’s also reportedly known for his combative streak. Bloomberg notes that Ellison waged corporate wars against rivals like SAP, Salesforce, and even Bill Gates.

At one point, he even tried to acquire Apple, though Steve Jobs declined. His management style is relentless. A former colleague once told Bloomberg that, “Larry doesn’t want to win. He wants you to lose.”

What’s next for him?

With Oracle powering more AI infrastructure and Ellison cementing ties to Trump’s White House, his influence could stretch far beyond Silicon Valley.

He’s not just building software anymore. He’s helping build the backbone of America’s digital future and rewriting the billionaire playbook along the way.