(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.
Jeff Bezos’ net worth
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.
What companies does Jeff Bezos own?
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.
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
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.