Wealth Story

How Jeff Bezos Built the Fortune

Jeff Bezos is worth an estimated $265.71B today — #3 on the world's rich list. Founder of Amazon and Blue Origin; owns The Washington Post.

The fortune didn't appear overnight. The first milestone on the public record came at age 22: graduated princeton. Everything after that is a chain of documented decisions — this is that chain, year by year.

The Milestones

1986: Graduated Princeton

at age 22

Earned degrees in computer science and electrical engineering.

1990: Joined D. E. Shaw

at age 26

Worked at the hedge fund D. E. Shaw, rising to senior vice president.

1994: Founded Amazon

at age 30

Left Wall Street and started Amazon as an online bookstore, out of his Seattle garage.

1997: Amazon IPO

at age 33

Took Amazon public on the Nasdaq.

2000: Founded Blue Origin

at age 36

Started his aerospace company Blue Origin.

2013: Bought The Washington Post

at age 49

Acquired the newspaper for $250 million.

2021: Stepped down as Amazon CEO

at age 57

Became executive chairman and flew to space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard.

Today: #3 in the world

Jeff's net worth is an estimated $265.71B, updated in real time from public holdings. See the live number →

In Jeff's own words: 3verified quotes, each with its source →
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Milestones are drawn from widely-reported public history; ages are computed from the birth year and can be off by one depending on the month. Net worth is our real-time estimate.