It wasn’t long ago when someone in Silicon Valley coined the term ‘The Three Comma Club’ to describe that small group of individuals whose net worth is one billion dollars or more. According to Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List for 2025, there are around 3 000 ‘dollar billionaires’ in the world.

The wealth, power, and influence wielded by these moneymakers and money spenders is gargantuan. For instance, the top 10 richest individuals have a combined net worth exceeding $2-trillion. Billionaires make up approximately 0.000034% of the world’s population. That’s about one in every 3-million people.

What does it take to become a billionaire, and what does it mean to live in a world increasingly dominated by them?

This book takes a deep dive into the world of billionaires, blending humour, insight, and a touch of ‘eat the rich’ irreverence to examine the rise and occasional downfall of the mega-mega-rich.

From historic figures like Croesus and Rockefeller to modern tech moguls and oligarchs, the authors explore how billionaires emerge, how they maintain their fortunes, and what happens when they fall from grace.

Chapters include: Making Money; Where’s the Money; Famous Feuds; Billionaire survivalists; Good Billionaire, bad billionaire; Can Billionaires Save the World?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

GUS SILBER is a South African journalist, author, scriptwriter and speechwriter. He is the author of numerous books including The Naked Pun and Electric Graffiti.

JONATHAN ANCER is a South African journalist, author, podcaster and media trainer. He wrote Uncovering Craig Williamson, which was on the longlist for the Alan Paton literary prize. Ancer wrote Betrayal: The Secret Lives of Apartheid Spies, Bullsh*t: 50 Fibs That Made South Africa among many other books. 

'The Three Comma Club: How Billionaires Think, Act and Shape Our World' is published by Jonathan Ball Publishers