At the start of the year, billionaire Elon Musk, with his close ties to the White House, seemed almost certain to be the most talked-about tech titan of 2025. Yet, looking back after a year of unpredictable twists, the title more deservedly belongs to Larry Ellison.

The 81-year-old co-founder and chairman of Oracle has remained highly visible—involved in nearly every major business story this year, from the frenzy (or bubble) of artificial intelligence to the blockbuster deals shaking up Hollywood.

Ellison, now the world's fifth-richest person with a fortune approaching $250 billion, had previously used his wealth primarily for collecting—acquiring airplanes, sailboats, Malibu real estate, and most of the Hawaiian island of Lanai. He has also financially backed his children's ventures into film and television production.