The scale of their wealth
Health
The price of life
Let's compare Paul Foster's fortune with the healthcare spending of a massive country
Paul Foster could fund the entire healthcare system of DR Congo, with a population of over 105,800,000 people, for approximately 2.0 years.
But even if we compare their fortune with that of a rich country
On the other end, Paul Foster could cover the healthcare spending of Luxembourg, considered the most heavily funded healthcare system in the world, for 0.9 years.
Education
Buying the future
Let's also compare their fortune with education spending, first with a poor country
Paul Foster could cover the total cost of Nigeria's education system, the most populous country in Africa with over 243,000,000 inhabitants, for 1.3 years.
And yes, we can also compare it with a rich country
But they couldn't just cover the cost of a poor country; Luxembourg is considered the country with the highest per capita investment in education in the world, and Paul Foster could pay for it entirely for 1.8 years.
Research
The monopoly on progress
Coming full circle, we think it's also interesting to add another gigantic country
Paul Foster could fully fund the state research budget of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world with over 260,000,000 inhabitants, for 7.6 years.
And of course, the country that invests the most per capita worldwide
But even if we compare the total wealth of Paul Foster with Israel, the country that invests the most per capita in research in the world, they could cover the total cost of the system for 0.2 years.
Gold
Everyday luxuries
Paul Foster's fortune is equivalent to 31 tons of gold. It's hard to process, since we don't usually keep a handful of gold bars in our piggy banks.
A standard gold ring usually weighs between 4 and 7 grams. Let's say this one weighs 5 grams. It's usually 18 karats.
Based on today's gold price (excluding the jeweler's commission, shipping, or anything else), that ring would be worth $546.86.
Paul Foster could buy 8,278,209 gold rings. That's a lot of fingers and way too many gifts!!
And if you're struggling to visualize that many rings, it would take 1 trucks to transport them. Although Paul Foster will almost certainly have enough money left over to pay for the gas.
Biography
Texas-based Paul Foster built a fortune in oil refining.
In 2017, he sold his company Western Refining to San Antonio-based Tesoro for $6.4 billion. The merged entity was later renamed Andeavor and sold to Marathon Petroleum.
Through Franklin Mountain Investments, Foster owns stakes in more than 30 companies spanning real estate, restaurants and sports. In 2025, he sold his energy venture for $2.5 billion.
A graduate of Baylor University and a registered CPA, Foster handled the books for small oil refineries across the Southwest.
He and his partners took over bankrupt El Paso Refining in 1992. He bought out his partners five years later.
Foster serves as a trustee of the Baylor College of Medicine and is a member of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' Energy Advisory Council.
Financial Assets
Monthly wealth history
Fortune comparison
Historical data not available for comparison