Jeff Bezos: The Story Behind the Fortune

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, initially as an online bookseller run out of his garage, and built it into one of the world's largest companies spanning e-commerce, cloud computing, and devices.

He stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021 to focus on other ventures, including his aerospace company Blue Origin. Most of his fortune remains tied to his Amazon stake.

Jeff Bezos built this fortune from the ground up — a self-made success in technology & e-commerce.

He studied at Princeton University and is based in Miami, Florida.

A few of the highlights on the public record: Founded Amazon in 1994 out of his garage, initially selling books online; Founded aerospace company Blue Origin in 2000; Bought The Washington Post for $250 million in 2013.

The journey to get here is well documented. In 1986, earned degrees in computer science and electrical engineering. In 1990, worked at the hedge fund D. E. Shaw, rising to senior vice president. In 1994, left Wall Street and started Amazon as an online bookstore, out of his Seattle garage. In 1997, took Amazon public on the Nasdaq. In 2000, started his aerospace company Blue Origin. In 2013, acquired the newspaper for $250 million. In 2021, became executive chairman and flew to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard.

Beyond Amazon, his track record includes Blue Origin, where he serves as Founder — aerospace and spaceflight company; The Washington Post, where he serves as Owner — acquired the newspaper in 2013.

The success shows up in what's publicly reported, too: Koru — 417-foot sailing yacht, reportedly the world's tallest; built 2021 and reported to be for sale as of 2026; Miami, Florida properties — several properties on Miami's Indian Creek Island, reported at roughly $234M combined; relocated his primary residence there from Washington, D.C.

In his own words: "Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why it is always Day 1." — said Amazon shareholder letter in 2016.

On net worth alone, the closest companies are MacKenzie Scott ($42.08B) and Jack Ma ($28.25B) — a reminder of how tightly bunched the very top of the wealth list really is.

On the personal side: Jeff is married, married to Lauren Sánchez, 4 children.

Today, Jeff is worth an estimated $265.71B — #3 in the world on our real-time list, a figure that moves with AMZN's share price.