By Wonderwall.com Editors
7:00am PST, Mar 6, 2024
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Jeff Bezos has booted Elon Musk from the top spot in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, making the Amazon founder and "centibillionaire" the richest human on earth for the first time since 2017. Boasting a net worth of $200.3 billion to Elon's $197.7 billion as of March 4, 2024, Jeff regained the mega-money crown after selling some 26 million Amazon shares, worth about $4.4 billion, in February 2024, GeekWire reported.
Elon's net worth took a hit after Tesla stock fell by 7.2%, thanks to a February dip in auto shipments from the company's factory in China. By contrast, Amazon shares have more than doubled in value since late 2022, according to Bloomberg.
But what does a very, very (very) rich dude spend his money on, anyway? In honor of Jeff' return to the top of the world's wealthiest list, we're taking a closer look at his wildest money moments.
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As a quick refresher, Jeff Bezos was only 33 when, in 1997, he made the bold move of going public with the (then unprofitable) online bookstore he'd started out of his garage three years earlier. That move launched his path to monetary success via Amazon, making him a millionaire before he turned 34. Billionaire status followed two years later and in 2017, Jeff landed at the top of Bloomberg's richest-person list for the first time, knocking Microsoft's Bill Gates from the No. 1 spot.
In 2018, Forbes' World Billionaires list named Jeff, then 54, its first registered "centibillionaire," meaning he was worth more than $100 billion.
The tech mogul and space tourism entrepreneur kicked off his 60th birthday in January 2024 with a net worth of roughly $172.9 billion, according to Forbes. But his fondness for eclectic expenditures — on projects like a ginormous clock built inside a mountain that ticks once a year — began years earlier.
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Nothing to see here, just a $42M clock inside a mountain
For the last few years, Jeff Bezos has had a team of engineers building a mammoth clock inside a mountain on some of the land he bought in rural Texas for his Blue Origin space missions. The billionaire reportedly plunked down an initial $42 million to fund the project, which remains in development today.
"Installation has begun," Jeff shared on what was then Twitter in 2018. "500 ft tall, all mechanical, powered by day/night thermal cycles, synchronized at solar noon, a symbol for long-term thinking — the #10000YearClock is coming together thx to the genius of Danny Hillis, Zander Rose & the whole Clock team!"
Danny Hillis originated the concept for the "10,000-year Clock," also called the "Clock of the Long Now," three decades earlier, writing about the concept in a 1995 Wired piece. "I want to build a clock that ticks once a year. The century hand advances once every 100 years, and the cuckoo comes out on the millennium…," he wrote, in part.
Since then, the clock's supporters have deemed it to be a thought-provoking art installation. Detractors like Wired's David Karpf have called it a "waste of time" and a distraction from the world's contemporary problems.
Whatever it is, the very big, very hidden, very costly clock shares real estate with an even wilder and more expensive pet project of Jeff's…
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That time he made his childhood space dreams come true for $5.5B
Inspired by his childhood fascination with outer space, Jeff Bezos founded an aerospace company intended to improve access to space for us Earthlings in 2000. He named it Blue Origin and Fortune reported in 2021 that he'd "funded [the company] … with at least $5.5 billion of his own money."
Some of that cost included the 2006 purchase and development of a patch of rural land in West Texas, which Jeff and Blue Origin used to house a launch site and test facility, according to New Space Economy. The land is also now home to Jeff's underground clock project.
Initially, the tech entrepreneur kept most of his space-related R&D under wraps, but in 2017, he unveiled Blue Origin's New Shepard, a reusable, autonomous suborbital space travel vehicle designed to take passengers "past the Kármán line — the internationally recognized boundary of space," per Blue Origin.
On July 20, 2021, the New Shepard took Jeff, along with his brother Mark, aviator Wally Funk, Dutch teen Oliver Daemen (and, presumably, Jeff's cowboy hat) into space and back for an 11-minute loop, including launch time. The tech guru then began inviting others to hop aboard his new toy as a variable ticketing system got underway. Oliver Daemen's dad reportedly paid nearly $28 million for his kid's seat on the inaugural flight.
A certain "Star Trek" alum, meanwhile, rode for free as an "honorable guest"…
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Then he sent Captain Kirk to the final frontier
A few months after Jeff Bezos christened the New Shepard, he hosted space travel VIP William Shatner, who famously played Captain James T. Kirk on "Star Trek," on a flight from Launch Site One in Texas to the final frontier and back. The Oct. 13, 2021, flight made William, then 90, the oldest person to ever fly into space. His fellow astronauts, pictured here, included Blue Origin's vice president of Mission & Flight Operations, Audrey Powers, and crewmates Chris Boshuizen and Glen de Vries.
After the flight, William looked misty-eyed and overwhelmed while recapping his experience to Jeff and others. "I'm so filled with emotion about what just happened. It's extraordinary, extraordinary. I hope I can maintain what I feel now. I don't want to lose it. It's so much larger than me and life," he said in footage published by CNN.
"What you have given me is the most profound experience I can imagine," he told the Blue Origin founder. "It hasn't got anything to do with the little green men and the blue orb. It has to do with the enormity and the quickness and the suddenness of life and death."
At one point, as Captain Kirk struggled to convey his intense feelings about the trip to his new pal, Captain Amazon, Jeff was caught on video interrupting to yell for champagne, which he then shook and sprayed at the crew while William backed away awkwardly. (Extra-awkwardly, in fact, given Jeff's 2016 "Star Trek Beyond" cameo.)
Oh well. Let's talk superyachts…
Meet Koru, the $500M superyacht
Like any tech billionaire, Jeff Bezos welcomes the occasional spin on an uber-luxurious yacht. Being, as he is, though, more of a gazillionaire-level billionaire, just any old yacht won't do. That's where Koru the superyacht comes in.
The birthday boy reportedly paid about $500 million for a custom buildout of the world's largest sailing yacht. According to Super Yacht Times, Oceanco sold the vessel to Jeff in 2018 then began the long process of custom assembly in the Netherlands before Koru set sail for the first time in 2023. Koru, a 410-foot long, three-masted schooner, reportedly holds up to 18 guests plus 36 to 40 crew members. Per Oceanco, "The ample deck space provides a variety of locations from which to take in the surroundings, including three jacuzzis and a swimming pool."
As for Jeff's bikini-clad first mate, seen here posing for pics off the coast of Portofino, Italy … Did we mention Koru means "new beginnings" in Māori?
The wealthiest person in modern history
By all accounts, 2018 was a busy year for Jeff Bezos, seen here with his now ex-wife, the novelist Mackenzie Scott. In February 2018, Amazon reported its largest profit ever, $2 billion, for the year prior. In March, Forbes officially declared him to be the richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $112 billion. When it was first assigned, Jeff's "first centibillionaire" designation via Forbes hadn't been adjusted for inflation, sparking many to note Bill Gates had already been there, done that.
But in July 2018, most major financial outlets including Bloomberg, Fortune, MarketWatch, the Wall Street Journal and Forbes agreed Jeff was at that point "the richest person in modern history." (Thanks, Amazon Prime Day!) Two months later, Forbes reported Amazon's market cap had "briefly [hit] $1 trillion."
In other words: kind of a good time to buy that $500 million superyacht he'd been pining for.
He didn't just funnel the cash back into his companies and collection of billionaire-appropriate toys, either. In 2018, Jeff also made a $10 million contribution to a nonpartisan PAC called With Honor that works to get more veterans elected to office, according to CNN. And Jeff and his wife announced a new $2 billion "Bezos Day One Fund" to support "existing nonprofits that help families experiencing homelessness, and [create] a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities."
Meanwhile, something less celebratory was brewing behind the scenes for the couple…
The most expensive divorce in history
Jeff Bezos and Mackenzie Scott kicked off 2019 by announcing their marriage had come to an end after 25 years and four kids. The announcement said they remained close friends. (It said nothing about the request for comment Jeff had received two days prior from the National Enquirer, which had a scoop about Jeff's secret romance with former TV host Lauren Sanchez, as CNET reported at the time. All three parties have since said the relationship started after Jeff and Mackenzie had separated.)
In the end, the divorce settlement saw Mackenzie — who had played a key role in Amazon's early business development and operations — walk away from the union with 25% of Jeff's Amazon shares, or nearly $36 billion. It made her the third wealthiest woman in the world, Bloomberg reported at the time. It also substantially reduced Jeff's wealth, though it hardly knocked him out of the "richest guy around" race. He remained the world's richest dude, with about $110 billion to his name.
The split was declared the most expensive divorce in history — though the pair got bumped to No. 2 on the list in 2021 when Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates took top honors.
Jeff wasn't single for long, if ever, though…
"New beginnings" with Lauren Sanchez
Remember that bikini-clad first mate aboard the Koru a few pics back? That was former "Good Day LA" sar Lauren Sanchez, seen here (on another boat) with Jeff Bezos. The couple weathered the ugly tabloid storm about their alleged affair without much public drama. Lauren also divorced her husband in 2019.
In 2021, construction of Jeff's superyacht began in the Netherlands. At some point around that time, the vessel earned her name — Koru means "new beginnings" in Māori. And when Koru set sail for the first time in May 2023, Jeff made his own new beginning with Lauren official by popping the question.
Which brings us to the sole "blackout-inducing" money moment on our list…
Shield your eyes!
In May 2023, Jeff Bezos asked Lauren Sanchez to say "I do" as the two sailed around Europe on their new multi-jacuzzi superyacht, Koru. Here's a closeup of the bling he slipped on his love's finger.
According to Town & Country, the sparkler is a "cushion-cut pink diamond ring that is somewhere between 20 and 30 carats and worth upwards of $2.5 million."
Dishing on Jeff's proposal with Vogue in the magazine's 2023 December cover story, Lauren admitted, "When he opened the box, I think I blacked out a bit." She apparently came to and managed a "yes."
The couple celebrated their engagement on Koru with a celeb-stacked party in August in Italy, according to Page Six. Their guests reportedly included Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Gates, Wendi Murdoch, Kris Jenner and more stars.
"We're still thinking about the wedding, what it's going to be," Lauren told Vogue. "Is it going to be big? Is it going to be overseas? We don't know yet. We've only been engaged five months."
Privacy, please
The $500 million superyacht's inspired a few more wild money moments for Jeff Bezos, by the way. In December 2023, after he and Lauren Sanchez parked in Antigua's Falmouth Harbour, local authorities put out a special notice asking folks to give the nice rich folks some space.
"The allure of the Koru is undeniable," said Antigua and Barbuda's Minister of Tourism Charles Fernandez, according to Business Insider. "But we kindly ask for everyone's understanding and utmost respect for their privacy during this special time."
Dismantling a bridge "for Jeff Bezos' latest toy"
The birthday boy's superyacht also caused a local uproar in Europe before it was even finished. In 2022, the Dutch company Oceanco, which sold Jeff Bezos the boat, planned to have the city of Rotterdam disassemble, then reassemble a historic bridge to allow the yacht to clear the passageway. Oceanco would pay for the process, the city told The New York Times, presumably using some of the $500 million Jeff paid for it. But the plan was widely unpopular in Rotterdam, the outlet reported, citing local newspapers.
The Times also pointed to a Facebook event inviting locals to "celebrate" the dismantling of the historic bridge for Jeff and his yacht needs. "Dismantling De Hef for Jeff Bezos's latest toy?" the February event invite read. "Come throw eggs … !" The bridge ultimately stayed intact.
Spot, the $74K robot dog
Jeff Bezos, seen here in 2002, has also used his sizable wealth for actual toys — like the robot dog he reportedly bought sometime around 2018. (Here's a picture of Jeff taking his robotic pup for a stroll.) The dog is named Spot and was created by the Hyundai-owned robotics company, Boston Dynamics, outlets including DailyMail.com have reported.
Spot is believed to have run the birthday boy about $74,500. But think of what he's saving on dog food…
A $147M "Billionaire Bunker" starter compound
Jeff Bezos owns a slew of real estate across the country, but some of his purchases have been a bit wilder than others — including his recent buys in Indian Village Creek, a barrier island off the coast of Miami known as "Billionaire Bunker." USA Today reports the "privately owned, exclusive residential enclave includes 41 platted waterfront residential home sites" and about 85 residents.
The Amazon founder owns not one but two mansions on the island, which Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and Carl Icahn also call home. In October 2023, he snagged a $79 million estate, per Bloomberg News. He also scooped up the pad next door for $68 million, sparking speculation he's aiming to buy up his own bunker compound.
The most expensive home in California history, plus the digs next door
The "Billionaire Bunker" real estate moves are similar to what Jeff Bezos did when he bought the most expensive home in California history in February 2020. For the low, low price of $165 million, Jeff bought the Warner estate from fellow billionaire David Geffen, according to the Robb Report.
A few months later, in July, Jeff bought another home for $10 million. It was the estate "that shares a hedge line" with his new record-breaking mansion, multiple outlets reported at the time.
Both properties are located in what a realtor's listing described as the "heart of Beverly Hills." The Warner estate reportedly sits on nine acres and boasts "countless terraces and gardens, several guest houses, tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course and a pool complex," among other amenities.
…and the time he bought the Washington Post
Did we mention the Washington Post? Yeah, Jeff bought that too. In 2013, the tech exec paid $250 million for the historic news outlet, buying the publication from the Graham family, which had owned it for eight decades, a tenure that included its famous coverage of Watergate and the Pentagon Papers. As its new owner, Jeff reportedly encouraged cost-cutting measures and online expansion. As of 2023, those moves had not yet proved profitable for the business or particularly comfortable for the staff.
