(NewsNation) — Founder and chairman of Amazon, founder of Blue Origin and owner of The Washington Post, Jeff Bezos is the third richest person in the world, according to Forbes.
The entrepreneur has found a way to create businesses from the comfort of his home all the way to space, earning him a sizeable share of wealth.
He became the first person on Earth to surpass $100 billion in personal wealth in March 2018, according to Guinness World Records and Forbes.
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Jeff Bezos’ net worth
FILE – Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is seen on the sidelines before the start of an NFL football game, Sept. 15, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. After nearly three decades, Bezos is leaving Seattle. In a Instagram post, the Amazon founder announced plans to return to Miami — where he spent his high school years — to be closer to his parents and his partner, Lauren Sánchez. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
Jeff Bezos’ net worth is valued at $221.4 billion, as of Nov. 29, placing him at No. 3 on Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List.
Much of his wealth comes from Amazon, which he founded from his Bellevue, Washington, home garage initially as an online marketplace for books in July 1994.
His wealth has grown substantially in just the last 10 years, upping his net worth from $34.8 billion in 2015.
Bloomberg estimates Bezos’ net worth as $228 billion, ranked No. 2 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, as of Nov. 29.
In March, Bezos surpassed Tesla owner Elon Musk for the No. 1 spot, the first time he ranked at the top since 2021. The gap between the two is wider now, though, with Musk’s net worth at $334 billion, according to Bloomberg.
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What companies does Jeff Bezos own?
VAN HORN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 13: A full-size replica of Blue Origin’s crew capsule is displayed before Blue Origin’s New Shepard lifts-off from the launch pad carrying 90-year-old Star Trek actor William Shatner and three other civilians on October 13, 2021 near Van Horn, Texas. Shatner will become the oldest person to fly into space on the ten minute flight. Shatner, along with civilians Audrey Powers, Chris Boshuizen and Glen de Vries, are riding aboard mission NS-18, the second human spaceflight for the company which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Bezos stepped down as CEO of Amazon to become executive chairman in 2021, and he owns less than 10% of the company.
After divorcing his wife MacKenzie of 25 years in 2019, Bezos transferred a quarter of his then-16% Amazon stake to her, Forbes reported.
Other companies under the parent umbrella of Amazon include Whole Foods, a high-end grocery store Amazon bought in 2017; Zappos, an online shoe and clothing store acquired in 2009; Twitch, a live-streaming gaming platform acquired in 2014; Ring, the smart doorbell company bought in 2018; and Audible, an audiobook service bought in 2008.
The 60-year-old also owns Blue Origin, an aerospace manufacturer and launch service provider, which he founded in 2000, just six years after founding Amazon.
Blue Origin has launched multiple rockets to space, including some commercial flights with private citizens on board. Bezos flew to space in July 2021.
In 2013, Bezos bought The Washington Post for $250 million, and in 2021, he co-founded Altos Labs, a biotechnology company.
He manages his personal investments through an investment firm, Bezos Expeditions, which he founded in 2005.
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Jeff Bezos’ investments
Bezos has invested in many companies across industries, from $112 million in Airbnb to $37 million in Uber, according to Nasdaq. He has also put money toward artificial intelligence companies.
Jeff Bezos’ philanthropy
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 10: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (R) and his fiancee Lauren Sanchez arrive at the White House for a state dinner on April 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are hosting a state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as part of his official state visit. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The entrepreneur is a board member of the Bezos Family Foundation, a nonprofit private foundation that his parents founded in 2000.
He formed the Bezos Earth Fund, which describes itself as the “largest philanthropic commitment ever to fight climate change and protect nature.” Bezos committed a $10 billion donation to climate causes by 2030.
The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund provides funding to existing nonprofits that help families experiencing homelessness and funding to build a network of new, tuition-free preschools in under-resourced communities, according to its website.
Bezos has donated to many organizations and causes over the years.
