What Is Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos' Net Worth?

Jeff Bezos' net worth

Jeff Bezos, an American entrepreneur and space explorer, boasts an impressive net worth of $154 billion. This remarkable wealth is primarily attributed to his founding of Amazon.com, where he served as the CEO and currently holds the position of President and Chairman of the Board. His net worth has witnessed substantial growth, and he briefly held the title of the world's richest person from October 2017 to January 2021. He officially founded the company in 1994, setting up the original business in his garage. His career commenced at financial firms like Fitel and Bankers Trust before joining D.E. Shaw & Co., where he became the company's fourth senior vice president.

What are Jeff Bezos' sources of income?

Jeff Bezos has acquired his substantial wealth through various sources, primarily driven by his significant holdings in Amazon. He possesses 55 million Amazon shares, which equates to around 12% of the company's total shares. At the peak of his ownership, he held 80 million Amazon shares; however, he transferred 19.7 million shares to his ex-wife, MacKenzie Bezos, as part of their divorce settlement in April 2019. Jeff also expanded his wealth through early investments in Google, now part of Alphabet Inc., where he owns at least $1 billion worth of shares. Additionally, his Amazon shares have been a consistent source of income, with a history of selling around $1 billion worth of shares annually to fund his space venture, Blue Origin.

Jeff Bezos' salary

Jeff Bezos, despite his astronomical wealth, doesn't draw a hefty salary from Amazon. In 2020, his annual salary from the tech giant was a modest $81,840, reflecting middle-income earnings in his home state of California. Bezos chose not to receive bonuses, stocks, or options that year. Instead, a significant portion of his income, approximately $1,600,000, was categorized under "other compensation." However, the bulk of his net worth is rooted in Amazon's stock performance. With a 10.3% ownership of Amazon shares, Bezos' financial fortunes are intimately tied to the company's success. His earnings are so staggering that he makes roughly $3,715 per second, a figure dwarfing the median full-time weekly wage of most Americans, which stands at $984 per week. Furthermore, Bezos earned 58 times more from Amazon compensation alone than the median wage for Amazon workers in 2020, underscoring the vast income gap within the company.

Jeff Bezos' assets

Jeff Bezos's wealth extends to an array of real estate and assets, including a sprawling Beverly Hills mansion and vast land holdings. He and MacKenzie purchased a $24.5 million Beverly Hills mansion in 2007. In 2018, they acquired the neighboring property for $12.9 million, eventually combined into a single compound. MacKenzie later donated this compound to the California Community Foundation. In 2020, Jeff invested $255 million in two additional properties in Beverly Hills. The first property, known as the Jack L. Warner estate, was purchased for $165 million. He also intended to buy a 120-acre vacant hilltop called Enchanted Hill but later canceled the deal. Jeff's diverse assets include a 10-acre estate, thousands of acres of land, units in 25 Central Park West in Manhattan, a property in Washington D.C., and more.

Jeff Bezos' net worth over the years

Jeff Bezos' Social Media following

Jeff Bezos' personal life

Jeff Bezos was born on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His remarkable journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the world's wealthiest individuals is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit. Bezos' mother was a 17-year-old high school student when she gave birth to him, and his father owned a bike shop. After his mother's divorce, she married a Cuban immigrant named Miguel Bezos, who adopted Jeff, legally changing his last name. Bezos' academic achievements are equally notable. He attended Miami Palmetto High School, where he was the valedictorian, demonstrating early signs of his exceptional abilities.

In January 2019, Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie Scott announced their divorce after 25 years of marriage. The divorce was finalized on April 4, 2019, with Bezos retaining 75% of their Amazon stock while MacKenzie received the remaining 25%, amounting to $35.6 billion. During this period, Bezos made headlines for his public accusations of extortion and blackmail against American Media, Inc. owner David Pecker, who threatened to release intimate photos of Bezos and his new girlfriend, Lauren Sánchez. Bezos suggested the source of the leaked photos might have been the Saudi Arabian government.

Jeff Bezos' awards

Time Person of the Year (1999)

U.S. News & World Report Best Leader (2008)

Honorary Doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University (2008)

The Economist Innovation Award (2011)

Fortune Businessperson of the Year (2012)

Best-Performing CEO in the World by Harvard Business Review (2014-2018)

Time 100 Most Influential People in the World (Multiple Times)

National Academy of Engineering Member (2018)

Légion d'honneur (2023).

FAQs

Where did Jeff Bezos establish Amazon? 

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 in his garage located in Bellevue, Washington, marking the company's humble beginnings.

What philanthropic efforts has Jeff Bezos undertaken?

In 2018, Jeff Bezos initiated the Bezos Day One Fund, dedicated to assisting homeless families and establishing quality preschools in underserved areas, with commitments of billions of dollars.

What was Amazon's original name, and why was it changed?

Amazon was originally named "Cadabra," but Jeff Bezos changed it due to its similarity to "cadaver," opting for "Amazon" inspired by the world's largest river.