Our Writers · 2026-10-22
How the Rich Stay Rich: 7 Rules for Keeping a Fortune
Fortunes are lost more often than they are made. The second half of the game — staying rich — is less exciting and far more important. Here are the rules the long-lasting fortunes have in common.
Keep cash for bad days
HKET: 6 ways the rich manage money — liquidity is king, use leverage well (香港經濟日報HKET) puts liquidity first. A fortune that has to be sold in a crash is not a fortune; one that can wait is.
Use debt, never let debt use you
The same Hong Kong guide talks about using leverage well — that is the operative word. Debt on assets that pay for themselves can help; debt on consumption ends families' wealth.
Know whether you are a buyer or a seller
Il Sole 24 Ore (Il Sole 24 ORE) draws the line between wealth conquered by buying and wealth cashed in by selling. Fortunes last when their owners keep accumulating good assets instead of turning everything into spending money.
Do not chase the next fashion
Warren Buffett ($154 B on our list) has run the same company, Berkshire Hathaway, for decades. A steady owner of good businesses usually outlasts the gambler who switches every year.
Spread the risk
Founder fortunes sit in one company; family offices that last diversify across shares, property and cash. udn: more than 124,000 Taiwanese worth over NT$100 million, and the rich are moving into property abroad (udn房地產) shows the same reflex in Asia.
Plan the handover
La gran transferencia de riqueza tiene un problema de expectativas (Forbes España) warns that the great transfer of wealth to the next generation comes with an expectations problem. Families that stay rich prepare heirs early — the Waltons, with three family members among our top 14, are the textbook example.
Spend on time, not on show
UDN: new rich give up traditional luxury for experiences (UDN). Status spending is the fastest way down the list.
Figures: Forbes Real-Time Billionaires and companiesmarketcap.com as shown on our rankings on 22 October 2026; net worth is an estimate and moves every trading day. This article is information, not financial advice.
Sources:
有錢人6種理財方法：流動性是王道，亦要善用槓桿 (香港經濟日報HKET); La grande differenza tra una ricchezza conquistata comprando o incassata vendendo (Il Sole 24 ORE); 台灣資產破億富豪逾12.4萬人！有錢人加速布局海外 房產專家揭原因 (udn房地產); La gran transferencia de riqueza tiene un problema de expectativas (Forbes España); 財富消費觀轉變／新富豪捨傳統奢華 改追求人生體驗 (UDN); our richest people ranking.