Warren Buffett Net Worth

Warren Buffett has an estimated net worth of $153 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Warren Buffett profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $82.5 billion in 2019.

Warren Buffett is an American investor and philanthropist best known for his long run at Berkshire Hathaway. He became one of the most recognized names in investing through a value-focused approach shaped at Columbia. Early on, he worked at Buffett-Falk & Co., then at Graham-Newman Corp. as a securities analyst. In 1956, he started Buffett Partnership Ltd., building the investment base that later fed into Berkshire Hathaway.

His wealth is tied to Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate he turned from a textile manufacturer into a diversified holding company. Buffett became the company's chairman and majority shareholder in 1970, and Charlie Munger joined as vice-chairman in 1978. Berkshire owns dozens of businesses, including Geico, Duracell and Dairy Queen. Buffett retired as CEO at the end of 2025 and became chairman emeritus, while remaining closely linked to the company he built.

How Warren Buffett built his fortune

Buffett made his money through investing and through Berkshire Hathaway, which sits in Finance & Investments on Forbes. Before Berkshire became his main platform, he worked in his father's firm, then at Benjamin Graham's partnership, and then ran several partnerships of his own. That path gave him capital, experience and a framework for buying assets with a margin of safety, an idea he developed further after studying under Graham at Columbia.

Berkshire Hathaway became the center of his fortune after his investment firm acquired the textile manufacturer and used its name for a broader holding company. From there, Buffett led Berkshire as chairman and CEO, with Munger joining him in 1978. Berkshire grew into a business that owned many companies across different sectors, including Geico, Duracell and Dairy Queen. Forbes currently values Buffett at $153 billion on its real-time tracker as of October 20, 2026.

Money moves and giving

Buffett's public story is not only about investing returns. He also became known for large-scale giving. He has promised to donate over 99% of his wealth, and Forbes notes that he has already given away more than $72 billion, mostly through the Gates Foundation and his kids' foundations. In 2010, he also helped launch the Giving Pledge with Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates to encourage other billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth.

Forbes' annual estimates for Buffett moved sharply over time, from $82.5 billion in 2019 to $67.5 billion in 2020, then up to $96 billion in 2021 and $118 billion in 2022. The estimate later shifted to $106 billion in 2023, rose to $133 billion in 2024, reached $154 billion in 2025, and stood at $149 billion in 2026 before the real-time figure moved higher in October 2026. Across those years, Berkshire Hathaway remained the core source behind the estimate.