This temporary billionaire status placed him amongst some of the continent’s wealthiest individuals, including the likes of Mukesh Ambani and Jack Ma.

For a brief moment, one Maldivian man woke up to find himself the wealthiest person in Asia. His bank account showed a balance that could rival the GDP of some countries. The dream, however, was short-lived as the bank quickly realized the error and moved to correct it.

Bank of Maldives (BML) inadvertently deposited $77 billion into the accounts of several employees at Lily Beach Resort. This colossal mistake was part of a payroll error where the account numbers somehow turned into astronomical dollar amounts. As a result, multiple employees saw their bank balances skyrocket to unforeseen heights.

Realizing the magnitude of the mistake, BML promptly suspended its mobile application and internet banking services. The bank then initiated a process to recover the mistakenly deposited funds. In an official statement, BML confirmed that they had identified the accounts involved and successfully retrieved the funds without any financial loss. BML explained that the error was due to a change in the bulk payment system used for processing payroll.

The incident sparked a wave of humor and comments across social media platforms. Many netizens found the situation hilarious, with jokes about sudden wealth and the fleeting nature of fortune. One viral post read, “He was richer than Mukesh Ambani for five minutes. What a ride!”

A meme circulating on social media/ not original (edited meme)

This amusing episode highlights the quirks and vulnerabilities in financial systems. While the Maldivian man’s time as Asia's richest person was short-lived, it provided a memorable story and a good laugh for many. As he returns to his normal financial status, he can always boast about his brief stint as the richest person in Asia.