Melanie Perkins’s net worth over time
Only dates with a published estimate are shown. Nothing is filled in between. Tap or hover a bar to see the source.
See the numbers as a table
| Date | Estimate | Source |
| 2022 | $6.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $3.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $4.4 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $5.8 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $7.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $7.6 billion | Forbes Real-Time Billionaires · Forbes real-time estimate |
Where the money comes from
These are the main sources of wealth named in the reporting we cite. No published source breaks the total into exact amounts, so we do not show percentages.
Melanie Perkins’s fortune in real-life terms
Based on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimate above. Median full-time U.S. pay is $65,416 a year ($1,258 a week, BLS, Q2 2026), before taxes. Typical (median) U.S. family net worth is $216,100 (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances).
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Melanie Perkins has an estimated net worth of $7.6 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Melanie Perkins profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $6.5 billion in 2022.
Melanie Perkins is an Australian technology entrepreneur best known as the cofounder and CEO of Canva. Before Canva, she and Cliff Obrecht started Fusion Books in 2007, a web-based yearbook publisher with an online drag-and-drop editor. That early business grew in Australia and later operated in New Zealand and France. It also helped shape the idea that design tools could be easier to use online.
She became widely known after launching Canva in 2013 with Obrecht and Cameron Adams in Sydney. The company started as an online graphic design platform and expanded into a visual communications platform with workplace and artificial intelligence products. Canva lets people make visuals such as menus, resumes and Instagram graphics. Forbes says her wealth comes from software, and her fortune is tied mainly to her ownership stake in Canva.
How Melanie Perkins makes money
Perkins built her wealth through Canva, the design software company she cofounded and leads. Forbes says private investors valued Canva at $42 billion in August 2025. Like Cliff Obrecht, she owns an estimated 18% stake. Canva’s freemium model also matters. The software has 240 million monthly users, and 6 million teams from companies such as Zoom pay to use it.
Her path to Canva started with Fusion Books in 2007 and then a bigger push into online design. In 2012, Perkins spent months in San Francisco looking for backing for a broader platform. She and Obrecht were rejected by more than 100 investors. Cameron Adams joined in 2012, and Canva launched in 2013. Under Perkins, Canva later added workplace products and artificial intelligence tools.
Forbes net worth timeline
Forbes estimated Perkins at $6.5 billion in 2022, then $3.6 billion in 2023, before raising the figure to $4.4 billion in 2024 and $5.8 billion in 2025. Those changes tracked the value of her Canva stake over time. Forbes also notes that Canva kept growing its product range, while the business reached a large user base and millions of paying teams.
As of October 20, 2026, Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker put Perkins at $7.6 billion. That estimate lines up with her continuing role as Canva’s CEO and cofounder, plus her ownership stake in the company. Forbes notes that Canva was built in Sydney despite early investor doubts about its location. The company’s scale, including 240 million monthly users, helps explain why her fortune is closely tied to software.
Career and money timeline
- 2007
Perkins and Cliff Obrecht founded Fusion Books, a web-based yearbook publisher.
- 2012
Cameron Adams joined the project as Canva’s third cofounder and chief product officer.
- 2013
Canva launched publicly in Sydney with Perkins as chief executive.
- 2022
Canva announced professional and workplace tools to compete with larger software companies.
- 2024
Canva increased its focus on enterprise customers and generative artificial intelligence.
- 2025
Perkins introduced Canva Code and Canva Sheets as new generative-AI and workplace products.
Melanie Perkins net worth FAQ
What is Melanie Perkins's net worth?
Melanie Perkins's net worth is an estimated $7.6 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Melanie Perkins profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Melanie Perkins get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Software.
Is Melanie Perkins a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Melanie Perkins is worth $7.6 billion.
How has Melanie Perkins's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $6.5 billion (2022, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022). The latest is $7.6 billion (October 20, 2026).
What company made Melanie Perkins rich?
Her wealth is tied mainly to Canva. Forbes says she cofounded the software company and owns an estimated 18% stake.
What did Melanie Perkins do before Canva?
Before Canva, she cofounded Fusion Books in 2007 with Cliff Obrecht. It was a web-based yearbook publisher with an online drag-and-drop editor.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Melanie Perkins profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Melanie Perkins profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Melanie Perkins profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Melanie Perkins profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Melanie Perkins profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Melanie Perkins profile (March 10, 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Usual Weekly Earnings (Q2 2026) (July 2026)
- Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (median family net worth, Table 4) (October 2026)
- Background facts: Wikipedia, Melanie Perkins (accessed October 20, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Photo: Melanie Perkins, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Every number on this page is an estimate published by the source named next to it. We never fill in years with our own guesses. How we handle estimates.