Billionaires: 10 craziest purchases, private island, jets

November 8, 2026 • 15 min • Mickael Saidi

Three people in professional attire walk toward a private jet on the tarmac, carrying briefcases.

2.6 billion dollars. That is the sum that American billionaires spent trying to influence the 2026 elections, according to an official statement from Senator Bernie Sanders. This figure is dizzying, and yet it represents only a fraction of the personal spending of this social category. Next to that, buying a private island almost seems like a reasonable decision.

For a digital professional, understanding where and how the ultra-rich place their money is not a simple exercise in curiosity. It is a window into a colossal niche market, into radically different consumption patterns and into the psychological biases that accompany extreme wealth. This article reviews 10 emblematic purchases of this excess, compares them with the habits of "ordinary" millionaires and draws concrete lessons for your business.

Ten purchases that seem to come from another planet

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the strangest or most excessive expenses documented or reported by reliable sources.

1. The private island: the ultimate in isolation

According to Yahoo Finance, some billionaires are thinking about buying their own private island. Not all islands cost the same price, but it can be assumed that several million, or even tens of millions, must be spent for a patch of land surrounded by water. Beyond the purchase price, maintenance, logistics and security represent a colossal annual budget. Infrastructure must be built, water and electricity must be supplied, permanent staff must be employed and sometimes even a helipad must be installed. Yet the private island remains an ultimate symbol of status, offering an intimacy that even the largest mainland estate cannot guarantee. It is the modern equivalent of a personal kingdom, where the billionaire is literally master of his territory.

2. The private jet: time as an asset

Global Citizen points out that billionaires continue to spend on private jets instead of funding humanitarian causes. A private jet costs between 20 and 100 million dollars to purchase, plus annual operating costs of several million. Fuel, crew, maintenance, hangar: each flight hour amounts to thousands of dollars. For a billionaire, each hour saved on a commercial flight is one more hour to manage his affairs or close deals. The private jet is therefore not only a whim, but a tool of extreme productivity. It makes it possible to connect several cities in one day, avoid security checks and work in total comfort. It is the purchase that transforms time into a directly monetizable asset.

3. The superyacht: a floating palace

Although not explicitly cited in our sources, the superyacht is an integral part of the imagination of billionaire spending. These vessels of more than 50 meters often cost more than 100 million dollars and require a permanent crew of 20 to 50 people. Their annual maintenance can represent 10% of the purchase price, not counting port fees, fuel and insurance. Owning a superyacht means displaying one's wealth in a way that few people can match, while enjoying total freedom of movement. The yacht becomes at once a second residence, a reception venue and a symbol of power. Some organize sumptuous parties there, others conclude deals there far from prying eyes.

4. The personal submarine: private exploration

Some billionaires push eccentricity to the point of acquiring private submarines to explore the seabed or reach their yacht in complete discretion. These craft, whose price can exceed several million dollars, illustrate a logic in which money provides access to experiences normally reserved for scientific or military research. It is not a functional purchase, but a pure marker of distinction. Owning a submarine means pushing the limits of private property all the way beneath the surface of the oceans. Few billionaires own one, but those who do send a clear message: nothing is inaccessible to them.

5. Space travel: the ultimate frontier

Entrepreneurs such as Jeff Bezos or Richard Branson have invested colossal sums to treat themselves to a few minutes of weightlessness. Space tourism remains out of reach for almost all of humanity: a ticket for a suborbital flight amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions. For billionaires, space is the new playground in which to establish their legend. Beyond the thrill, these journeys symbolize a competition among elites to push the boundaries of human experience. They transform an adventure once reserved for astronauts into a luxury product like any other.

6. Contemporary art as a financial asset

Billionaires do not settle for hanging canvases on their walls: they build genuine art portfolios. Contemporary works, often bought at auction for tens of millions, serve as a store of value, a means of tax optimization and a cultural symbol. This dual use — aesthetic and financial — explains why prices reach absurd heights. A painting can be stored in a free port, traded discreetly and passed on as an inheritance with considerable tax advantages. Art becomes a liquid asset for those who know how to navigate this opaque market.

7. Political influence through Super PACs

Bernie Sanders's statement is unambiguous: American billionaires spent 2.6 billion dollars trying to elect the candidates of their choice in the 2026 elections. This spending produces no material good, but it buys something far more precious: power. Funding Super PACs means directly influencing the laws that will govern their business, whether taxation, environmental regulation or labor law. It is an investment with very high potential returns, even if its ethics are contested.

8. Endless legal battles

As Calmatters points out, billionaires "often have a lot of wealth to spend on legal fees to mount the best defense that money can buy." A lawsuit that drags on for years is not a problem for them: it is a strategy. Exhausting the opponent through costs becomes a weapon, making justice unequal. Hiring the best law firms, multiplying appeals, paying for exorbitantly priced expert reports: all of this is possible for those with near-unlimited resources. Justice thus becomes a luxury accessible only to the wealthiest.

9. Bunkers and private security

Faced with global uncertainty, many of the ultra-rich invest in fortified residences, underground bunkers and close protection teams. This spending, often discreet, can amount to millions per year. It reflects a deep anxiety, paradoxical in those who already own everything. The fear of social collapse, kidnapping or climate disasters drives some to prepare for every eventuality. These bunkers are equipped with air filtration systems, food reserves for years and secure communications.

10. Eccentric collections and the simulacrum of spending

The existence of an app like "What Billionaires Can Buy" on the App Store shows how fascinated the general public is by the spending of the ultra-rich. This app allows users to simulate extravagant purchases, proof that the fantasy of wealth is itself a market. Some billionaires, for their part, collect improbable objects — from race cars to complicated watches to exotic animals. These collections do not only serve to show that one can afford them; they also represent a form of consuming passion that only fortune allows one to fully satisfy.

Billionaires versus millionaires: two financial worlds

The national study on millionaires conducted by Ramsey Solutions reveals a striking contrast. While billionaires spend outrageous sums on prestige and influence assets, most millionaires (net worth between 1 and 20 million) adopt highly frugal behaviors.

| Criterion | Billionaires | Millionaires |

|--------|---------------|---------------|

| Main management tool | Legal teams and lobbyists (Calmatters, Sanders) | Shopping list and strict budget (Ramsey) |

| Priority spending item | Political influence and prestige assets | Savings and reasoned investment (Ramsey) |

| Relationship to debt | Strategic use of debt for tax optimization | Avoidance of consumer debt (Ramsey) |

| Symbol of success | Private island, jet, superyacht | Financial independence and peace of mind |

This table highlights a difference not of degree, but of nature. "Classic" millionaires build their wealth through discipline and regular investment; billionaires, on the other hand, play in another category where money serves to buy power, time and immunity. The Ramsey Solutions study shows that millionaires often use a simple shopping list to control their spending, avoid consumer debt and prioritize systematic saving. Conversely, billionaires outsource daily management to entire teams and concentrate their spending on assets with high symbolic or strategic value.

Three voices to understand these expenses

The perspectives gathered in our sources provide a contrasting view.

Lawyers in suits gathered around a conference table

> "These are people who have oftentimes plenty of wealth to spend on legal fees to put up the best defense money can buy." — Calmatters

This quote underscores the fundamental asymmetry: for a billionaire, a trial is never lost in advance, because they can hire the best lawyers and prolong the proceedings indefinitely. Justice has a price, and they can pay it. This creates a two-tier society where the wealthiest can afford to assert their rights, while others often give up for lack of means.

> "...spent $2.6 billion to elect the candidates of their choice." — Bernie Sanders

Senator Sanders denounces a democratic drift in which billionaires' money literally buys elections. This sum, concentrated on a single electoral cycle, shows that political influence has become a priority expense for the ultra-rich. They seek not only to protect their interests, but to actively shape the legislative framework in which they operate.

> "...millionaires used a common tool for saving money: a shopping list." — Ramsey Solutions

In contrast, the Ramsey Solutions study reveals that most millionaires use a simple shopping list to control their spending. This habit, accessible to everyone, is one of the pillars of their financial success. The contrast with billionaires is striking: on one side budgetary rigor, on the other excess. This shows that wealth does not always depend on income, but often on discipline.

What this means for you as a digital professional

These observations are not just anecdotal. They open up concrete avenues for your business.

Uniformed crew working on the deck of a yacht

1. Target the ultra-luxury market

The needs of billionaires are specific: wealth management, digital security, luxury concierge services, maintenance of yachts or private islands. Developing adapted digital services or products (management applications, booking platforms, security solutions) can prove highly profitable. For example, an application that centralizes the management of yacht crews or secures a billionaire's private communications would find buyers.

2. Leverage the public's fascination

The "What Billionaires Can Buy" app shows that the general public loves to project themselves into extravagant spending. Creating content (articles, videos, interactive quizzes) around this theme can generate significant, monetizable traffic. Media specializing in luxury and wealth attract massive audiences, which creates opportunities for advertisers and content creators.

3. Apply the lessons of millionaires

Even if you are not aiming for fortune, the Ramsey Solutions study reminds us that budgetary discipline is more important than income level. For an entrepreneur or a digital freelancer, keeping a shopping list (both literally and figuratively: projected budget, expense tracking) is an overlooked growth lever. Financial rigor allows you to reinvest in your business and avoid over-indebtedness.

4. Understand status signals for marketing

If you sell high-end products or services, know that billionaires do not only buy functionality, but distinction. The private island, the jet, the superyacht are status markers. Your communication must therefore highlight exclusivity and experience rather than simple price. Using words like "custom-made," "confidential," "private access" can make the difference.

Three lessons to remember

Extreme wealth creates a distortion of priorities: money serves less to buy goods than to acquire power, time and immunity.
"Ordinary" millionaires succeed through simple, disciplined habits, not through extravagance.
The ultra-luxury market and the fascination it generates offer real opportunities for digital professionals.

The next time you read that a billionaire has bought an island or funded a Super PAC, ask yourself what that says about our economy — and how you can find your place in it.