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Entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Peter Thiel has made an indelible mark on society as we know it today. The billionaire tech mogul is the co-founder of PayPal (along with Elon Musk, Ken Howery, Luke Nosek, and Max Levchin), not to mention being an angel investor in Facebook with a 10.2% initial stake in the company and providing angel investment for the likes of Yelp and LinkedIn.
Thiel is a prolific venture capitalist who has founded numerous companies over his storied career. After PayPal, he founded several companies including Clarium Capital, Palantir Technologies, Valar Ventures, Mithril Capital, and Founders Fund. In addition to providing early-stage investment in Facebook, Theil has made angel investments via Founders Fund in SpaceX, Rypple, Quora, Asana, and Airbnb, just to cite a few.
Taking into account Thiel’s astounding success as a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, for ages there has been much speculation as to the billionaire’s actual net worth. Therefore, we at Sophisticated Investor decided to ask, “How much is Peter Thiel worth?”. To find the answer to that question, we compiled all the publicly available data pertaining to Thiel. Below, you will find the best approximation of the billionaire entrepreneur’s net worth.
However, take note that the figures are approximations, thus not necessarily conclusive. Yet, given that we did source all available data, this likely is representative of a probable range of Thiel’s wealth.
 | Peter Thiel |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 11, 1967 |
| Nationality | American |
| Title | Entrepreneur and venture capitalist |
| Companies Founded | Co-founded PayPal. Founded Clarium Capital, Palantir Technologies, Valar Ventures, Mithril Capital, and Founders Fund |
| Best Known For | PayPal cofounder |
| Net Worth (USD) | $4.7 billion |
What Is Peter Thiel’s Net Worth?
Based upon research, Peter Thiel has a net worth of approximately $4.7 billion. A recent Forbes profile cites this figure as his “real-time net worth”, consequently, it is likely the best approximation.
Although an estimate, Thiel had a 10.2% initial stake in Facebook which he largely unloaded after the company’s IPO in 2012 amounting to nearly $2 billion at the time. Additionally, he still has stakes in numerous successful tech firms such as Uber and Spotify.
Peter Thiel Biography
Peter Thiel was born on October 11, 1967, in Frankfurt, Germany, but immigrated to the US with his family when he was just a year old. Thiel acquired his Bachelor’s in Philosophy from Stanford and his law degree from Stanford Law School. He then worked as a securities lawyer and derivatives trader until 1996, when he started his first venture capital firm, Thiel Capital Management.
In 1999, Thiel co-founded PayPal with Elon Musk, Ken Howery, Luke Nosek, and Max Levchin, serving as the company’s chief executive officer. In February 2002, PayPal had its IPO and in October of 2002 sold to eBay for $1.5 billion.
Using a portion of his proceeds from the PayPal sale, Thiel went on to found several firms; Clarium Capital, Palantir Technologies, Founders Fund, Valar Ventures, and Mithril Capital Management.
In 2021, it was revealed by ProPublica that in 1999 Thiel had used $1,700 in a Roth IRA to buy 1.7 million founders shares in PayPal. After the eBay sale, Thiel then reinvested the proceeds (still held in the Roth) into other companies like Facebook. In April 2027, Thiel will be able to make a full withdrawal from said retirement account of an astronomical $5 billion tax-free.
How Did Peter Thiel Build His Wealth?
Peter Thiel has accumulated the vast majority of his net worth from his incredible acumen as a venture capitalist. His first big gain came after PayPal was sold to eBay for $1.5 billion.
How Is Peter Thiel’s Net-Worth Calculated?
Basically, Peter Thiel’s net worth is calculated with assets subtracted from his liabilities. Throughout his illustrious career as a venture capitalist, he has invested in numerous companies that would go on to enjoy phenomenal success including Facebook, Uber, and Spotify.
Who Else Invests Like Peter Thiel?
Not all investors have the same style. To compare investors like Peter Thiel check out these investor profiles:
Want to Invest Like Peter Thiel?
In truth, the average investor will likely not accumulate a net worth tantamount to that of Peter Thiel. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot employ an aggressive investment strategy involving alternative assets like precious metals.
By opening a self-directed IRA, you benefit from a diversified portfolio that appreciates in value on a tax-free or tax-deferred basis. Learn more about this space by reading our reviews for Precious Metals IRAs and Bitcoin IRAs.
