Amelie Voigt Trejes, a 20-year-old Brazilian, has recently been acknowledged as the youngest billionaire in the world by Forbes, which published its 2026 rankings of the wealthiest individuals. Her wealth primarily stems from her inheritance of a 2% stake in WEG, a leading industrial machinery company co-founded by her grandfather, Werner Ricardo Voigt, in 1961. Following her grandfather's death in 2016, the fortune has significantly increased, contributing to her current net worth of $1.1 billion.

WEG, headquartered in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, has a reputation for maintaining a family-oriented shareholding structure, which greatly benefits direct heirs. This familial connection is evident, as five of the six youngest billionaires on the current Forbes list are part of the Voigt family. Amelie is younger than her twin brothers, Pedro and Felipe Voigt Trejes, and has recently surpassed German pharmaceutical heir Johannes von Baumbach, positioning her firmly at the top of the youth billionaire rankings.

The implications of Amelie's rise to billionaire status highlight not only the concentration of wealth within affluent families like the Voigts, but also raise discussions about hereditary wealth in the contemporary economic landscape. As the youngest billionaire, Amelie's public presence may also spark interest in the WEG company and its future trajectory under the stewardship of new wealth among its younger generation, potentially shedding light on the evolving nature of wealth in Brazil and the global market.