Jeff Bezos, the visionary founder of Amazon, is one of the most influential businessmen in modern history. From humble beginnings to becoming one of the world’s wealthiest men, Bezos’s journey is a story of innovation, resilience, and strategic risk-taking. According to Forbes (May 2025), Jeff Bezos’s net worth is estimated at over $220 billion, making him the third-richest person in the world. This article takes a deep look into Jeff Bezos’s net worth, biography, sources of income, and personal life, while also answering the most frequently asked questions about the billionaire.
Jeff Bezos Net Worth
As of 2025, Jeff Bezos’s net worth exceeds $220 billion. His wealth comes mainly from his holdings in Amazon, as well as his other ventures such as Blue Origin, The Washington Post, and Bezos Expeditions.
Bezos first became a billionaire in 1999, just two years after Amazon went public. By 2018, his fortune had grown so rapidly that Bloomberg named him the “richest man in modern history” when his net worth reached $150 billion.
Key milestones in his net worth growth include:
1999 – $10.1 billion after Amazon IPO success.
2008 – Net worth fell to $6.8 billion due to the global recession.
2017 – Surpassed Bill Gates to become the world’s richest person with $90 billion.
2018 – Crossed $100 billion and peaked at $150 billion.
2020 – Net worth exceeded $200 billion.
2025 – Estimated at $220 billion, ranking him among the top three wealthiest individuals globally.
Bezos’s net worth fluctuates based on Amazon’s stock price, given that the bulk of his fortune is tied to the company. Despite stepping down as Amazon CEO in July 2021, he still holds a major stake and serves as executive chairman.
Jeff Bezos Biography
Early Life and Education
Jeff Bezos was born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His mother, Jacklyn Gise, was only 17 at the time, while his biological father, Ted Jorgensen, was a bike shop owner. After his parents divorced, his mother remarried Miguel Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who later adopted Jeff and gave him his surname.
Bezos displayed an early interest in science and technology, often tinkering with gadgets and inventing small contraptions. He spent summers at his grandfather’s Texas ranch, where he developed a strong work ethic and love for innovation.
He graduated valedictorian from Miami Palmetto High School and pursued higher education at Princeton University, where he studied electrical engineering and computer science, graduating in 1986 summa cum laude.
Early Career
After college, Bezos worked on Wall Street in firms such as Fitel, Bankers Trust, and D.E. Shaw, where he became a senior vice president at just 30 years old. However, the growing internet sector caught his attention, and in 1994, he left his lucrative finance job to pursue e-commerce.
Founding of Amazon
In 1994, Bezos and his then-wife MacKenzie Scott founded Amazon from their garage in Seattle. Initially an online bookstore, Amazon quickly expanded into electronics, cloud computing, video streaming, and artificial intelligence.
By the late 1990s, Amazon had revolutionized online retail, and under Bezos’s leadership, it became the world’s largest e-commerce company. Today, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is also the world’s leading cloud provider.
Other Ventures
Blue Origin (2000): Bezos’s private aerospace company focused on space exploration and human spaceflight. In 2021, he flew into space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.
The Washington Post (2013): Purchased for $250 million, transforming it into a profitable digital-first news outlet.
Bezos Expeditions: His venture capital firm with investments in companies like Google, Uber, Twitter, Airbnb, and Unity Biotechnology.
Altos Labs (2021): A biotechnology company focused on anti-aging and longevity research.
Jeff Bezos Sources of Income
Jeff Bezos’s fortune comes from a diverse portfolio of businesses and investments:
Amazon Holdings – The bulk of his wealth comes from his stake in Amazon. Even after selling billions worth of shares, he remains one of the largest shareholders.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) – A multi-billion-dollar cloud computing division that dominates the global market.
Blue Origin – His aerospace company, which he funds partly by selling Amazon stock. It aims to reduce the cost of space travel and expand humanity’s presence in space.
The Washington Post – Revitalized under his ownership into a major digital media platform.
Bezos Expeditions – His venture capital arm, with early investments in Google and many successful startups.
Real Estate – Bezos owns multiple high-value properties, including a $165 million Beverly Hills estate, several New York penthouses, and land in Texas for Blue Origin.
Philanthropy – While not a direct income source, Bezos has pledged billions to causes like climate change through the Bezos Earth Fund and education via the Bezos Academy.
Jeff Bezos’s Wife
Jeff Bezos was married to MacKenzie Scott from 1993 to 2019. Their divorce was one of the most expensive in history, with MacKenzie receiving 25% of Bezos’s Amazon shares, worth around $36 billion at the time.
In 2025, Bezos married Lauren Sánchez, a former journalist and helicopter pilot. The couple has been publicly seen attending high-profile events together, including space-related ventures and philanthropic engagements.
Bezos has four children, including three sons and one adopted daughter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the 1-hour rule Jeff Bezos?
The “1-hour rule” is often associated with Jeff Bezos’s productivity philosophy. He avoids early morning meetings and prefers short, focused sessions. He also follows the “two-pizza rule”, meaning meetings should be small enough to be fed with two pizzas. - How many kids does Bezos have?
Jeff Bezos has four children – three sons and one adopted daughter. - How did Jeff Bezos get rich?
Bezos got rich by founding Amazon, which began as an online bookstore but grew into the world’s largest e-commerce and cloud computing giant. His wealth comes primarily from his Amazon stock holdings, alongside investments in technology, media, and space exploration. - Was Jeff Bezos rich as a kid?
No, Bezos was not born rich. His mother was a teenager when he was born, and his biological father was a struggling shop owner. After his mother remarried Miguel Bezos, Jeff grew up in a middle-class household. His wealth is entirely self-made through entrepreneurship and investment.
Final Thoughts
Jeff Bezos’s story is one of the most remarkable examples of self-made success in modern times. From working at McDonald’s as a teenager to building one of the world’s largest corporations, Bezos has redefined business, technology, and even space travel.
With a net worth of over $220 billion in 2025, Bezos continues to shape industries through Amazon, Blue Origin, and his various ventures. His legacy goes far beyond wealth—it is about innovation, resilience, and pushing boundaries that others thought were impossible.
