Larry Ellison, Oracle’s 81-year-old co-founder, reclaimed his position as the world’s second-richest person on December 4, 2025, with a $264.8 billion fortune—fueled by Oracle’s explosive AI growth, a historic $300 billion OpenAI contract, and his family’s aggressive Hollywood expansion attempts that just lost to Netflix’s $82.7 billion Warner Bros. bid.
Key Takeaways
- Larry Ellison’s net worth: $264.8 billion as of December 4, 2025—retaking the #2 richest person spot globally
- Oracle-OpenAI megadeal: $300 billion computing contract over five years, one of the largest in history
- Warner Bros. bidding war: Son David Ellison’s Paramount lost to Netflix’s $82.7 billion winning bid announced December 5
- TikTok acquisition: Oracle positioned to lead U.S. ownership group after Trump administration approval in September
- Oracle stock surge: Shares jumped 43% in September 2025, adding $100 billion to Ellison’s wealth in a single day
- AI cloud revolution: Oracle’s contracted revenue soared 359% to $455 billion, with cloud infrastructure revenue projected to hit $144 billion by 2030
The OpenAI Deal That Changed Everything
In September 2025, Oracle secured a groundbreaking $300 billion contract with OpenAI to provide computing infrastructure over five years. Under this agreement, Oracle will deliver 4.5 gigawatts of computing capacity—enough to power four million homes—as part of Project Stargate, a massive AI infrastructure initiative backed by Oracle, SoftBank, and the Trump administration.
The deal represents one of the largest cloud contracts in history and positions Oracle at the center of the global AI race. For context, OpenAI’s current annual revenue is approximately $10 billion, making this $300 billion commitment an extraordinarily bold bet on AI’s future.
Hollywood Power Play: The Warner Bros. Battle
Larry Ellison’s billionaire son, David Ellison (CEO of Paramount), spent months aggressively pursuing Warner Bros. Discovery in what became one of Hollywood’s most contentious bidding wars. Backed by his father’s fortune—Larry Ellison is Oracle’s largest shareholder with a 41% stake—Paramount made multiple bids exceeding $60 billion for the media giant that owns HBO, CNN, and the Warner Bros. studio.
However, on December 5, 2025, Netflix announced it won the battle with an $82.7 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros.’ studio and streaming assets (excluding cable networks like CNN). Paramount accused Warner Bros. Discovery of running an “unfair” auction process and claimed the bidding was “tilted” toward Netflix. The Trump administration reportedly views the Netflix-Warner deal with “heavy skepticism,” according to senior officials.
Larry Ellison’s Major 2025 Moves
| Deal/Event | Value/Impact | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Oracle-OpenAI Contract | $300 billion over 5 years | Signed (Sept 2025) |
| Net Worth (Dec 4, 2025) | $264.8 billion (World’s #2 richest) | Active |
| Paramount-Warner Bros. Bid | $60+ billion (via son David Ellison) | Lost to Netflix |
| Netflix-Warner Bros. Deal | $82.7 billion (competitor won) | Announced Dec 5, 2025 |
| TikTok U.S. Acquisition | $14 billion valuation, Oracle lead investor | Approved (Sept 2025) |
| Oracle Stock Surge | +43% single-day gain (Sept 10) | Completed |
| Personal Wealth Gain (Sept) | +$100 billion in one day | Completed |
| Oracle Market Cap | Approaching $1 trillion | Active |
| Ellison Institute Oxford | $1.34 billion philanthropic investment | Under construction |
The TikTok Takeover and Political Connections
In September 2025, the Trump administration approved a deal to keep TikTok operating in the United States, with Larry Ellison positioned to lead the American ownership group. Oracle, which already hosts TikTok’s U.S. data, will manage security functions and computing services for the restructured app.
Trump explicitly endorsed Larry Ellison for the acquisition, calling Oracle’s role “very big” and emphasizing the deal would be “owned by Americans and operated all the way”. The ownership group includes conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch and computer billionaire Michael Dell, with the business valued at approximately $14 billion.
From Database King to AI Landlord
Larry Ellison briefly became the world’s richest person in September 2025 when Oracle’s stock surge pushed his net worth to $393 billion, surpassing Elon Musk. While he has since settled into the #2 position behind Musk’s $342 billion, Larry Ellison’s wealth has roughly quintupled over the past three years.
Oracle’s transformation from a traditional database company to an “AI landlord” has attracted high-profile clients including Meta, Elon Musk’s xAI, and now OpenAI. The company’s cloud infrastructure revenue is projected to increase 14-fold from $10 billion to $144 billion by fiscal 2030.
Risk and Reward at 81
At 81, Larry Ellison continues taking massive risks. Oracle doesn’t own land or build data centers—it outsources to partners, creating uncertainty about reliability and whether customers like OpenAI can secure funding to meet their payment obligations. His close political ties to Donald Trump and investments in media companies raise questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Larry Ellison has pledged to donate 95% of his fortune through the Ellison Institute of Technology, which focuses on climate change, healthcare, and AI advancements. However, the institute operates primarily as a for-profit business network rather than traditional charity.
What’s Next for the Oracle Billionaire?
With Oracle nearing a $1 trillion market valuation and David Ellison’s Paramount regrouping after the Warner Bros. loss, the Ellison family remains at the center of technology and entertainment power plays. Larry Ellison’s influence extends from AI infrastructure to social media ownership to Hollywood studios—positioning him as one of America’s most powerful and controversial figures heading into 2026.
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