SINGAPORE: Hong Kong's top 40 richest tycoons all saw gains in their net worths over the past year, according to the latest Hong Kong 40 Richest list in Forbes Asia.

This year, the collective wealth of the tycoons rose by 65% to US$135 billion, up from $82 billion a year ago. The combined net worths are still less than the US$179 billion recorded in 2008.

The increase in wealth over the past year has propelled more tycoons into the billion-dollar club. There are now 34 billionaires on the list, compared with 19 a year ago. This is still six short of the total in 2008 when everyone was a billionaire.

Topping the rankings again is "Superman" Li Ka-shing, 81, head of Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa. He has held the pole position since the inaugural Hong Kong 40 Richest list was published in 2008. Li is worth US$21.3 billion, a little over US$5 billion more than what he had last year, though still worth a lot less than his 2008 estimate of US$32 billion.

The Kwok family, which controls Sun Hung Kai Properties, has moved down one notch to No 3 but their wealth is up by over $6 billion to $17 billion. The company is finishing construction of Hong Kong’s tallest building, the International Commerce Center. It also opened a replica of Noah’s Ark in Hong Kong last May as tourist attraction.

For more information, visit Forbes Asia.

The top 10 richest in Hong Kong are:
1) Li Ka-shing; US$21.3 billion
2) Lee Shau Kee; $19 billion
3) Kwok family; $17 billion
4) Cheng Yu-tung; $7 billion
5) Joseph Lau; $6 billion
6) Michael Kadoorie; $5 billion
7) Peter Woo; $4.2 billion
8) Chen Din Hwa; $3.2 billion
9) William Fung; $3 billion
10) Victor Fung; $2.9 billion