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Bitcoin Billonaire Dies at 41

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Billionaire bitcoin owner Mircea Popescu has reportedly died, leaving behind a cache of virtual currency and a controversial crypto legacy.

The bitcoin BTCUSD pioneer, who was believed to own over $1 billion in the world’s No. 1 crypto, making him, at the time, one of the asset’s larger single-holders, died off the coast of Costa Rica, according to a Spanish-language publication, Teletica.com, which reported last week that a foreigner had drowned at Playa Hermosa de Garabito, Puntarenas, in Costa Rica, describing the victim as a 41-year-old “of Polish origin.”

However, Popescu is a well-known name in Romania and he has been described on some sites as a Romanian entrepreneur and blogger.

Popescu was viewed as a pioneer in digital assets and one of the earliest adopters. An article in Bitcoin Magazine written by Pete Rizzo said that Popescu was known for starting MPEx, a bitcoin securities exchange, around the same time as Coinbase Global COIN was launched.

At its mid-April peak this year, Popescu’s bitcoin holdings would have been worth nearly $2 billion.

At last check, bitcoin prices were changing hands at around $36,310, up 6.11 percent on the day, even amid reports that the world’s largest crypto trading platform Binance was facing a regulatory crackdown in the U.K., and a separate report noting that the platform has been compelled to pull out of doing business in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Word of Popescu’s reported death was circulating in crypto circles, with some wondering where his holdings would go.

The latest news also comes as crypto continues to wrestle with China’s ban on bitcoin mining and crypto trading in the world’s second-largest economy and the biggest crypto miner.

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Elon Musk’s Net Worth Dips Below $200 Billion as Tesla Shares Face Volatility

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Elon Musk, the enigmatic CEO of Tesla, has seen his net worth dip below the $200 billion mark for the first time since early June.

As of October 31, Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index estimated his net worth at $193 billion, a significant drop from the once lofty $234 billion valuation prior to Tesla’s disappointing third-quarter results and a turbulent earnings call on October 18.

Tesla’s stock price took a nearly 10% nosedive after the earnings report, and this trend continued, closing 4.8% lower at $197.36 on October 31.

In total, the stock has declined by 21% this month, albeit with a 60% increase for the year.

The roller-coaster ride of Musk’s net worth, which soared to a peak of $340 billion in November 2021, has been closely linked to Tesla’s stock performance. Musk first crossed the $200 billion threshold in 2021 and remained the world’s wealthiest individual.

Despite the recent setback, Musk still maintains his title as the world’s richest person as he outpaces Bernard Arnault, the head of luxury retail giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, whose net worth currently stands at $156 billion.

Arnault’s wealth, too, has faced pressure due to a decline in LVMH’s stock price. Consumer spending on luxury goods, which experienced a surge during the pandemic, has shown signs of tapering off, causing a 6% drop in LVMH’s share prices this month and a 1.3% decline for the year.

While the fortunes of these billionaires may fluctuate, they remain at the helm of their respective industries.

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Abdulsamad Rabiu Reclaims Elite Status on Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index with Surging Valuations

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Nigerian billionaire Abdulsamad Rabiu is riding high on recent surges in the valuations of his prominent companies.

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index now places the 63-year-old business magnate’s assets at $5.98 billion, making him the 403rd richest person globally.

Rabiu, in tandem with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, now boasts a combined fortune of $16.3 billion.

The visionary entrepreneur is the founder and chairman of BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate with diversified interests, including the second-largest cement manufacturer in Nigeria, BUA Cement, and BUA Foods, a leading player in the Nigerian food processing industry.

In a historic milestone, BUA Cement recently scaled to new heights with investor confidence driving a 12.55% share price increase over the past week to an all-time high of N105.80.

This growth corresponds to a remarkable year-on-year change of over 107%.

BUA Foods also celebrated substantial successes in its second-quarter results, boasting a spectacular 289.61% year-on-year surge in pre-tax profits, reaching N61.81 billion.

The company’s immunity to exchange rate fluctuations has further propelled it to profitability, achieving a pre-tax profit of N109.38 billion for the first half of 2023, compared to N42.702 billion during the same period last year.

The company’s profit after tax soared to N95.2 billion by June’s end in 2023, reflecting a staggering 142.24% increase from the previous year.

Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, as part of his philanthropic endeavors, pledged a generous donation of N2 billion to rebuild the Central Mosque in Zaria town, Kaduna State.

Abdulsamad Rabiu’s journey from founding BUA Group in 1988 to the resounding success of his diverse business ventures showcases his enduring commitment to excellence and economic growth.

This resurgence firmly positions him as a beacon of hope and inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs across the African continent.

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world’s wealthiest individuals, celebrates Rabiu’s remarkable journey, drawing on financial market data, economic indicators, and news reports to offer a glimpse into the lives of these financial titans and their evolving fortunes.

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Serena Williams: A Tennis Icon’s Astonishing Journey to a $300 Million Net Worth

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Serena Williams, an undisputed legend in the world of tennis and widely recognized as the greatest female player in the sport’s history, is on the cusp of reaching an astounding net worth of nearly $300 million.

Back in June 2023, Forbes listed Serena Williams among America’s Self-Made Women, with a net worth of $260 million. However, in the time that has since elapsed, her wealth has surged to an impressive $290 million.

At the age of 41, Serena continues to hold her status as one of the world’s highest-paid athletes, amassing approximately $300,000 in winnings.

Her financial prowess extends well beyond the tennis court, with endorsements alone valued at an astonishing $45 million.

In 2022, Serena Williams, a mother of two who recently welcomed her second child, gracefully concluded a storied tennis career during which she earned nearly $95 million in prize money. Having retired from professional sports, she has deftly redirected her wealth into venture capital investments in startups worldwide.

Serena Williams: Championing Diverse Ventures in Nigerian Startups

A year ago, Serena Williams established a $111 million venture fund through Serena Ventures, an investment firm she founded in 2014.

Serena Ventures has since thrown its support behind 30 companies spanning a diverse range of industries, including e-commerce, fashion, and social goods, aligning with its mission of promoting diverse leadership, individual empowerment, creativity, and opportunity.

Among the beneficiaries of Serena’s support is Andela, a company that epitomizes these values. Known for its diverse team of co-founders, executives, and local lead directors in the countries where it operates, Andela embodies Serena Ventures’ commitment to fostering inclusive entrepreneurship.

In addition to Andela, Serena Ventures has extended its backing to Coinbase, the San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange; Masterclass, the online learning platform; and Wave, a remittance service available in five African countries.

One particularly notable investment was Serena Williams’s venture capital firm injecting $3.3 million into Stears Inc., a Nigerian data and insights firm, last year.

This funding initiative, spearheaded by Serena Ventures and with support from MaC Enterprise Capital, Omidyar Group’s Luminate Fund, Melo 7 Tech Companions, and Cascador, marked Serena’s deepening interest in African companies.

Serena Williams has expressed her intent to intensify her investments in the African continent following her retirement from tennis after the 2023 US Open.

Diverse Avenues of Wealth for Serena Williams

While embarking on her second act, Serena Williams continues to maintain endorsement deals with over a dozen prominent brands, all while actively participating in the world of investments through her firm, Serena Ventures.

Also, she co-founded “Will Perform,” a startup that emerged in December 2022, dedicated to creating products for topical pain relief, muscle care, and skincare.

Expanding her horizons, Serena launched Nine Two Six Productions in April 2023, a multimedia company aimed at bolstering her role as a producer.

Additionally, Serena made a memorable cameo appearance in the 2022 film “Glass Onion.” Her contributions also extend to the literary world, with her first children’s book released in September 2022.

Serena Williams’s portfolio of achievements includes a minority stake in the Miami Dolphins, further solidifying her multifaceted and impressive legacy.

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