From CEO of PayPal to Investor Behind Facebook and Airbnb: Peter Thiel's Growth and Net Worth
| Name | Peter Thiel |
| Net Worth | $7 Billion |
| Salary | $50 Million |
| Source of Income | Business |
| Date of Birth | Oct 11, 1967 |
| Age | 56 years |
| Gender | Male |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, investor, venture capitalist |
| Nationality | German-American |
What is Peter Thiel's net worth?
Widely known for co-founding and leading PayPal as CEO, apart from funding other startups such as Facebook, German-American venture capitalist and political activist Peter Thiel flaunts a net worth of $7 billion. Apart from his more known ventures, Thiel also co-founded analytics firm Palantir Technologies, which also came under the spotlight for alleged ties with the CIA. Apart from Facebook, Thiel has also invested in firms such as Elon Musk's SpaceX, Airbnb, and Lyft. His association with Musk dates back to the days when his payment platform Confinity took over Musk's X.com for the creation of PayPal which Thiel guided to success as CEO.
What are Peter Thiel's sources of income?
Thiel's primary sources of income stem from his roles as an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and hedge fund manager. The establishment of the online payment system PayPal, and his early investment in Facebook, where he acquired a 10.2% stake for $500,000, played a major role in his financial success.
Thiel also founded Clarium Capital Management, an investment management and hedge fund company, utilizing $10 million from his PayPal windfall.
Personal life
Thiel was born on October 11, 1967, in Frankfurt, West Germany. As a student, he excelled in mathematics and studied science fiction. He studied philosophy at Stanford University, and served as The Stanford Review's first editor-in-chief until completing his Bachelor of Arts in 1989. In 1992, he enrolled in Stanford Law School and earned his Juris Doctor degree. Apart from business, Thiel is also known for his politics, and is in the news for libertarian views.
In 2017, Thiel married Matt Danzeisen. In 2023, the entrepreneur also experienced personal loss with the passing of his long-term partner, Jeff Thomas.
Thiel is a supporter of the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the SENS Foundation. His Thiel Foundation provides $100,000 to young entrepreneurs who choose to skip college and pursue their business ideas.
Awards and honors
Herman Lay Award for Entrepreneurship (2006)
Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (2007)
Honorary degree from Universidad Francisco Marroquin (2009)
TechCrunch Crunchie Award for Venture Capitalist of the Year (2013)
FAQs
What was Peter Thiel's role in PayPal?
In 1988, Peter Thiel provided funds to launch PayPal, initially supporting Max Levchin's idea to build a payment system for Palm devices. After a merger with X.com, Thiel served as CEO of PayPal until it was acquired by eBay.
How much did Peter Thiel invest in Facebook?
Thiel invested $500,000 for a 10.2% stake in Facebook in 2004, becoming the company's first external investor. When Facebook went public in 2012, he sold a portion of his equity for $638 million and eventually sold most of his remaining stake for $395 million.
What are Peter Thiel's religious views?
Thiel is a Christian and a promoter of René Girard's Christian anthropology.