Entrepreneurs
Steve Ballmer Net Worth
What is Steve Ballmer’s net worth?
| Net Worth: | $120.1 Billion |
|---|---|
| Age: | 67 |
| Born: | March 24, 1956 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Businessman |
| Last Updated: | February 15, 2024 |
Introduction
Steve Ballmer is an American investor, businessman, and philanthropist with an estimated net worth of $120.1 Billion.
Ballmer built his net worth during his thirty-four-year career at Microsoft, having joined the company when it was worth just a few million dollars. He served as the chief executive officer for fourteen years, earning an average of $1.2 million/year in compensation. His initial 8% stake in the company has since been reduced to less than 4%, having sold off shares worth well over $3.2 billion during his time with the company.
Since retiring, Ballmer has acquired the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team and began focusing more heavily on philanthropic efforts with his wife, Connie Snyder. Within this profile, we’ll discuss our research on Steve Ballmer’s net worth history, his career at Microsoft, salary and earnings, plus additional factors that have affected his wealth over time.
Net Worth History
| Net Worth: | $120.1 Billion |
|---|---|
| Age: | 67 |
| Born: | March 24, 1956 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Businessman |
| Last Updated: | February 15, 2024 |
Since nearly all of Steve Ballmer’s wealth was generated through his 8% stake in Microsoft, his net worth history can be tracked relatively easily. In 1986, Microsoft launched their IPO, which skyrocketed Microsoft’s valuation giving them a market capitalization of $777 million. This gave Ballmer a net worth of roughly $62 million at the time.
By the end of 1990, the company’s market cap had grown to $4.8 billion, increasing the value of his stake to $384 million. In 2000, his stake had grown to an enormous $46.9 billion, but the dot-com burst wiped out over 60% of the company’s valuation rapidly. Ballmer often sold shares of Microsoft on a regular basis. The most notable of which was in 2003, when he sold 39.3 million shares for $955 million. This reportedly reduced his ownership stake to 4%.
In 2009, Ballmer’s net worth was estimated at approximately $11 billion. A year later, he reportedly sold over 83.1 million Microsoft shares, spread out over five transactions, worth over $2.2 billion in total. However, it appears he’s been quiet on the trading front since then, with his net worth continuing to increase as Microsoft’s market cap grows.
In 2015, he was worth approximately $21.5 billion, reaching $41.2 billion in 2019, and $91.4 billion in 2022. As of 2025, Steve Ballmer is estimated to be worth approximately $120.1 Billion.
Microsoft
In 1980, Steve Ballmer became Microsoft’s 30th employee, taking on the role of business manager. Upon joining, he received an 8% stake in the company and an initial reported base salary of $50,000/year. He helped oversee the Windows and Office franchises during the late 1980s and 1990s and helped launch Windows 95.
When Bill Gates stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in 2000, Ballmer took his place, leading the company from 2000 to 2014. During this time, Microsoft had some of its most successful years, launching Windows XP, Windows 7, and, most notably, its Xbox gaming console. In 2000, Microsoft reported annual revenues of $25 billion; by the time Ballmer stepped down, this figure had tripled to $78 billion.
Acquisitions
As CEO, Ballmer also led some of the company’s most notorious acquisitions, both good and bad. In 2007, they acquired aQuantive for $6.3 billion in an attempt to compete with Google in digital advertising. Just five years later, Microsoft effectively wrote off $6.2 billion and admitted its failure.
In 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion, perhaps one of the more successful acquisitions during Ballmer’s reign as CEO. In 2013, they also acquired Nokia for $7.2 billion, attempting to compete in the smartphone market, but again, they had to mark it down as a multi-billion dollar write-off.
Microsoft Salary
| Year | Base Salary | Bonus | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $600,000 | $200,000 | $800,000 |
| 2001 | $656,000 | $374,500 | $1,030,000 |
| 2002 | $656,000 | $324,500 | $980,500 |
| 2003 | $700,000 | $400,000 | $1,100,000 |
| 2004 | $901,000 | $175,000 | $1,080,000 |
| 2005 | $605,000 | $620,000 | $1,230,000 |
| 2006 | $616,667 | $350,000 | $966,667 |
| 2007 | $620,000 | $700,000 | $1,320,000 |
| 2008 | $640,833 | $700,000 | $1,340,000 |
| 2009 | $665,833 | $700,000 | $1,370,000 |
| 2010 | $682,500 | $670,000 | $1,350,000 |
| 2011 | $682,500 | $682,500 | $1,370,000 |
| 2012 | $685,000 | $620,000 | $1,300,000 |
| 2013 | $700,000 | $550,000 | $1,260,000 |
| 2014 | $500,000 | $375,000 | $875,000 |
| Totals: | $9,950,000 | $7,140,000 | $17,090,000 |
Ballmer never had a particularly high salary during his time at Microsoft, at least compared to his overall net worth today. We already mentioned his starting salary of $50,000/year, but how about as CEO?
From 2000 to 2014, as the CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer received an annual base salary ranging between $600,000 and $700,000. The only two outliers from this range were in 2004, when he received $901,000, and 2014, which wasn’t a full calendar year. Ballmer also earned an annual bonus, as low as $175,000 in 2004, and as high as $700,000 (multiple years). His average annual bonus as CEO was roughly $510,000.
Overall, this equated to him earning a total of between $800,000 and $1.2 million annually for the first seven years. This was followed with earnings of between $1.26 million and $1.37 million annually from 2007 to 2013. He’s estimated to have earned a total of $17.1 million in compensation as the CEO.
Los Angeles Clippers Acquisition
Upon leaving Microsoft in 2014, Ballmer acquired the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion. Several bids were placed to purchase the team after Donald Sterling, the previous owner, was caught on tape making racist comments, and was banned for life by the NBA.
Ballmer’s bid was the highest, closing his acquisition of the team. At the time, the purchase was considered an incredible high-risk move, with professional valuations of the Clippers coming in at under $1 billion.
However, in recent years, his investment has paid off significantly, with the team’s value more than doubling in the last five years. Recent estimates place the club’s value at $5.5 billion, generating $353 million in revenue over the past twelve months.
Highlights
Here are some of the best highlights of Steve Ballmer’s career:
- Hired By Bill Gates (1980)
- President of the Company (1998)
- Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft (2000)
- Retired as CEO (2014)
- Placed a Bid (2014)
- Clippers Owner (2014)
What do you think about Steve Ballmer’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
What is Tom Bilyeu’s net worth?
| Net Worth: | $400 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 49 |
| Born: | March 30, 1976 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Entrepreneur |
| Last Updated: | Jun 13, 2025 |
Introduction
Tom Bilyeu is an American entrepreneur and businessman with an estimated net worth of $400 Million.
Quest Nutrition
One of Bilyeu’s first business ventures was Quest Nutrition, which he started in 2010 alongside Ron Penna and Mike Osborn. The business focused on protein-rich snack foods with minimal sugar. Their flagship product, the Quest Bar, has become extremely popular among fitness enthusiasts, bodybuilders, and health-conscious individuals.
As a result, Quest Nutrition experienced rapid growth and, within a few years, transitioned from a startup to a company generating over $400 million in annual revenue. Bilyeu left the company in 2016, and Quest Nutrition was eventually sold in 2019. The Simply Good Foods Company bought Quest for $1 billion, making it one of the decade’s most successful health food startups.
Impact Theory
Shortly after leaving Quest Nutrition, Bilyeu founded Impact Theory in October 2016. He started Impact Theory as a self-funded venture, giving him complete control over his business. Impact Theory was created to inspire individuals through content that promotes personal development, a growth mindset, and self-transformation.
Bilyeu has been the company’s CEO from the start, building a brand that focuses on thought-provoking interviews, education, and motivation. His hugely popular YouTube channel features in-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, authors, scientists, and thought leaders. Guests have included Simon Sinek, Dr. Joe Dispenza, and David Goggins. Through Impact Theory, he continues to blend storytelling and psychology to help people overcome limiting beliefs and unlock their potential.
U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission Lawsuit
In 2023, Bilyeu became the subject of a landmark legal case. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) took its first-ever action against an NFT project. Bilyeu’s company was charged with offering “Founder’s Keys,” which were unregistered securities in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). An unregistered security is a stock, bond, or note that has not been registered with the SEC through a formal registration statement. Registration with the SEC is a legal requirement for most securities before they can be offered or sold to the general public.
The SEC alleged that Impact Theory, Bilyeu’s company, raised approximately $30 million from investors by marketing the NFTs as investment opportunities. Bilyeu settled the case without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings. The settlement required his company to pay over $6.1 million in penalties. They also had to destroy all unsold Founder’s Keys NFTs and forfeit future royalties from the resale of these NFTs. Bilyeu also had to agree to establish a fund to compensate affected investors. The SEC’s action set a precedent for how NFTs might be regulated as securities in the U.S going forward.
Real Estate
Beverly Hills Mansion
Bilyeu and his wife purchased a Beverly Hills mansion in 2015 for $8.25 million. The home featured six bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a media room, a wine cellar, a pool, a sports court, and outdoor living areas. The couple put the property on the market in late 2020, initially asking for just under $10 million. The listing went on and off the market over the next two years and was eventually sold for the full asking price of $10 million in early 2023.
Hollywood Hills Mansion
While selling their Beverly Hills mansion, Bilyeu and his wife bought a three-story Hollywood Hills mega-mansion. The couple made headlines as it was one of L.A.’s most expensive residential transactions that year. They purchased the property for a reported $35.5 million. The home, situated in one of Los Angeles’s most exclusive enclaves, spans 20,058 square feet.
The mansion includes five bedrooms and eight bathrooms, a glass elevator, a rooftop deck, a state-of-the-art wine cellar, and a private movie theater. It also features a 175-foot infinity pool with a waterfall, and has panoramic views across Los Angeles, from downtown to the Pacific Ocean. Bilyeu also uses the mansion as a base for Impact Theory, recording interviews and filming production shoots.
Highlights
Here are some of the best highlights of Tom Bilyeu’s career:
- X-Prize Foundation (1995)
- Quest Nutrition (Co-founder, 2010)
- Inc 5000 (Magazine, 2014)
- The Tony Robbins Podcast (2014)
- Impact Theory (2016)
What do you think about Tom Bilyeu’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
Entrepreneurs
Robin Li Net Worth
Robin Li is one of the richest men in China, but just how much is he worth today?
What is Robin Li’s net worth?
| Net Worth: | $10 Billion |
|---|---|
| Age: | 56 |
| Born: | November 17, 1968 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Country of Origin: | China |
| Source of Wealth: | Entrepreneur |
| Last Updated: | Jun 13, 2025 |
Introduction
Robin Li is a Chinese computer scientist and internet entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $10 Billion.
Net Worth History
| Year | Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $11 Billion |
| 2017 | $13.3 Billion |
| 2018 | $12 Billion |
| 2019 | $9.6 Billion |
| 2020 | $4.9 Billion |
| 2021 | $14.7 Billion |
| 2022 | $7 Billion |
| 2023 | $7.7 Billion |
| 2024 | $5.9 Billion |
| 2025 | $5.7 Billion |
Business Ventures
In addition to developing RankDex in 1994 and starting Baidu in 2000, Li has also been involved in other business ventures throughout his career.
He has been the Chairman of iQIYI, a Chinese video-on-demand over-the-top streaming service founded in 2010. Now owned by Baidu, iQIYI is often referred to as the “Netflix of China.” It went public in the United States in 2018, raising $2.25 billion, and is now one of the biggest online video websites in the world, with 500 million monthly active users.
Li also served as a board member of New Oriental, China’s largest private education service provider. In 2006, New Oriental became the first Chinese private education company to list on the New York Stock Exchange in the United States, achieving a market capitalization of $14 billion and serving 26.6 million students.
Philanthropy
Outside of his day-to-day commitments, Li has consistently supported initiatives that give back to the community. This is evident in his philanthropic endeavors, which include supporting specific departments at universities, funding ongoing research, and contributing to disaster relief efforts.
In 2013, Li and his wife donated $200,000 to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Buffalo’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The Robin Li Data Mining and Machine Learning Laboratory was then established to support the university’s ongoing research and commitment to excellence in data mining and machine learning.
In April 2018, Li made his largest donation of ¥660 million ($91 million) to Peking University, where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Management, in support of the university’s 120th anniversary. The donation was used to establish the Peking University Baidu Fund, which focuses on the research and development of artificial intelligence and related technologies. In the same year, Li advocated for China to reduce taxes in the Xiong’an New Area economic zone to help attract world-class international talent. Li claimed that high taxes are making China a less desirable destination for top-tier talent and are hindering China’s ability to make significant advancements in artificial intelligence development.
Outside of his personal donations and philanthropic campaigns, through Li’s guidance, Baidu donated ¥90 million ($12.4 million) to support disaster relief efforts in Henan Province following the severe flooding in July 2021. By the end of 2021, disaster relief had become the largest area of Baidu’s philanthropic contributions, with a total of ¥198.55 million ($27.2 million) donated under Li’s leadership.
Li’s commitment to supporting the continued development of education and innovation in China and abroad through funding new initiatives and research centres is a testament to his philanthropic character.
Highlights
Here are some of the best highlights of Robin Li’s career:
- Li is the co-founder of Baidu
- He is a member of the 12th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference
- Chinese Top Ten Innovative Pioneers (2001)
What do you think about Robin Li’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
| Net Worth: | $28.6 Billion |
|---|---|
| Age: | 60 |
| Born: | October 15, 1964 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Country of Origin: | China |
| Source of Wealth: | Founder of Alibaba |
| Last Updated: | Jun 14, 2025 |
What is Jack Ma’s net worth?
Jack Ma is a Chinese entrepreneur and the founder of Alibaba Group with an estimated net worth of $28.6 Billion.
Net Worth History
| Year | Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2009 | $1.3 Billion |
| 2010 | $1.2 Billion |
| 2011 | $1.6 Billion |
| 2012 | $2.6 Billion |
| 2013 | $3.4 Billion |
| 2014 | $10 Billion |
| 2015 | $22.7 Billion |
| 2016 | $20.5 Billion |
| 2017 | $28.3 Billion |
| 2018 | $39 Billion |
| 2019 | $37.3 Billion |
| 2020 | $38.8 Billion |
| 2021 | $48.4 Billion |
| 2022 | $22.8 Billion |
| 2023 | $23.5 Billion |
| 2024 | $24.5 Billion |
While Jack Ma’s stake in Alibaba, now estimated at roughly 4.5%, is responsible for the lion’s share of his net worth, he also holds an 8.8% stake in Ant Group, in addition to his private equity firm, real estate, and other assets. In 2016, Ma’s net worth was estimated to be $20.5 billion, but the success of Alibaba’s 2014 IPO caused its market valuation to skyrocket over the next several years. At the time, Alibaba’s market cap was roughly $217 billion, with Ma owning an estimated 6%. This meant that his stake in the company contributed approximately $13 billion (63.4%) to his overall net worth.
By 2020, Alibaba’s market cap had peaked at roughly $838 billion and closed out the year at $650 billion. Ant Group had also reached a peak valuation of $300 billion. At the beginning of 2021, Jack Ma’s net worth had reached an all-time high of $48.4 billion, comprising an estimated $25 billion stake in Ant Group and an estimated $23 billion stake in Alibaba.
However, that same year, the Chinese government began introducing stricter regulations on technology companies, which wiped hundreds of billions of dollars off the market caps of both companies in just a single year. This resulted in Jack Ma’s net worth falling to a six-year low of $22.8 billion. Over the last few years, there has been a gradual recovery, with Ma’s net worth estimated at roughly $28.6 billion as of 2025.
Early Career
After graduating from Hangzhou Normal University in 1988, Jack Ma applied for several jobs and was rejected by every single one. However, he was able to start his own company, Hangzhou Haibo Translation Agency, in 1994. The following year, he created a website about Chinese beer.
Soon after, he launched China Pages, his second company, which earned the equivalent of $1.18 million in today’s currency in three years. Quickly becoming one of the richest people in Asia, Jack Ma became the go-to guy for building websites for Chinese companies.
AliBaba
In 1998, Jack Ma worked with the China International Commerce Center but quit in 1999 to establish Alibaba in Hangzhou. By 2000, Alibaba earned $25 million in venture seed capital from Goldman Sachs and SoftBank, which allowed it to grow exponentially.
Three years later, Ma started the Taobao Marketplace, which eBay offered to purchase, but Ma turned them down. Instead, Ma gained support from Jerry Yang, the co-founder of Yahoo, who offered him a $1 billion investment in Alibaba.
Since then, Jack Ma has grown Alibaba to include several subsidiaries, including AliExpress, Alipay, Alibaba Cloud Computing, and Tmall eTao. Ma also launched the non-profit Alibaba Hong Kong Young Entrepreneurs Foundation in 2015. This organization supports entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, enabling them to expand their businesses and achieve success. In the same year, Ma’s company funded the construction of 1,000 houses in Nepal following the country’s devastating earthquake.
In 2017, Ma met with then-President-elect Donald Trump to discuss expanding Alibaba’s business interests inside the United States. At the same time, he partnered with Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong business tycoon, to offer a digital wallet service in Hong Kong.
Jack Ma then stepped down as the executive chairman of Alibaba Group Holding in 2018, allowing Daniel Zhang to take over. He also stepped down from the Alibaba board in 2020, although he remains involved in the company.
Recent Involvement
Following a 2020 regulatory crackdown on Alibaba, Jack Ma disappeared from the public eye after criticizing China’s banks and regulators. However, the Alibaba Foundation and the Jack Ma Foundation did donate medical supplies to the US, Africa, and Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For his philanthropy, Ma was named one of Asia’s “Heroes of Philanthropy,” and he was given the Malcolm S. Forbes Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2022, Ma was reportedly living under the radar in Tokyo, Japan; however, he returned to Hangzhou in 2023 to tour the Yungu school. The school, funded by Alibaba, is located near the company’s headquarters, and after his visit, Ma returned to traveling abroad.
Later that year, Ma became a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo, focusing on food production and agriculture while lecturing on entrepreneurship.
In 2024, Ma became Alibaba’s largest shareholder, replacing SoftBank, who previously held the company’s largest share. Now one of the richest people in the world, Jack Ma continues to have a profound influence on e-commerce and technology in China and globally.
Estimated Net Worth
Jack Ma’s net worth is estimated at $28.6 Billion.
Summary
Rejection has been present in Jack Ma’s life ever since he was a teenager, and he faced much of it. However, his inspiring story, from being rejected from a position at KFC to founding one of the world’s most valuable companies, is an inspiration to us all.
As of 2025, Jack Ma’s net worth is estimated to be $28.6 Billion.
What do you think about Jack Ma’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
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