How Alice Walton, the richest woman in the world, spends her fortune

Though the Walton family is largely quite private, it is known that Alice Walton spends her fortune on things varying from expensive art to horse breeding.

Published on: Mar 31, 2025, 14:32:58 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Abhyjith K. Ashokan

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Walmart's Alice Walton is the richest woman in the world boasting a net worth of $102 billion. Her wealth grew 46% since last year, primarily due to a surge in Walmart’s share price, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2025.

Alice Walton has reclaimed her title as the world's richest woman. (alicelwaltonfoundation)

This also brings forth the question of how the 75-year-old heiress spends her fortune.

Also Read: India's youngest billionaires are 34 years old. Their net worth: ₹8,643 crore each

Though the Walton family is largely quite private, it is known that Alice Walton spends her fortune on things varying from expensive art to horse breeding.

She has never taken an active role in running Walmart and has instead, focused on her own ventures and also ended up becoming an art patron, having fallen in love with art at a young age, according to a New Yorker report.

Walton purchased her first work of art at the age of 10 for $2. It was a reproduction of a Picasso painting.

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She then went on to build an immense collection, with original works from legendary American artists such as Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell, and Georgia O'Keefe.

She even opened a $50 million museum called the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 2011 for housing her art collection now worth around $500 million, according to a Business Insider report.

Her other interest lies in the Texas horse breeding scene. She sold her Millsap, Texas ranch called the Rocking W Ranch in 2017 for an undisclosed amount, though it had an initial asking price of $19.75 million, but was later reduced to $16.5 million. It boasted more than 250 acres of pasture and outbuildings for cattle and horses.

Also Read: The collective wealth of Indian billionaires surpasses entire GDP of this oil-rich country

She has also traditionally been a donor to Republican candidates and PACs, according to a Forbes report which added that despite this, she donated $353,400 to the Hillary Victory Fund which is a joint fundraising committee supporting Clinton and other Democrats, in 2016.

Among the richest women in the world, Walton was trailed by L'Oréal's Francoise Bettencourt Meyers with a $67 billion fortune, Koch Industries' Julia Koch & family with a $60 billion net worth, Mars' Jacqueline Mars, worth $53 billion, and HCL's Roshni Nadar & family with $40 billion in wealth.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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