Thomas Peterffy’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 |
| 2019 | $17.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $14.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $25 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $20.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $25.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $34 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $57.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $82.9 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $96.5 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.
Thomas Peterffy’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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Thomas Peterffy has an estimated net worth of $96.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Thomas Peterffy profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $17.1 billion in 2019.
Thomas Peterffy is a self-made American billionaire in finance and investments. He is the founder, chairman, and largest shareholder of Interactive Brokers, a discount brokerage known for a specialized trading platform built for sophisticated investors. Before that company took shape, he worked as an architectural draftsman and later as a computer programmer after arriving in America in 1965. His career then moved to the American Stock Exchange, where he traded options and pushed trading toward automation.
His wealth comes mainly from Interactive Brokers and the trading business that came before it. In 1977, he bought a seat on the American Stock Exchange and helped develop an early electronic trading platform for securities. He founded Interactive Brokers in 1993 after starting in market-making, and he stayed CEO until December 2019. Forbes valued him at $96.5 billion on its real-time billionaires tracker as of October 20, 2026.
How Thomas Peterffy built his fortune
Peterffy made his money by combining trading, software, and brokerage services. After emigrating, he worked as a draftsman, then became a programmer. That mix of skills mattered once he moved into options trading. In 1977, he purchased a seat on the American Stock Exchange and took part in developing an electronic trading platform for securities. He spent years replacing manual routines with computerized systems, which gave his trading business a foundation for later growth.
That work led to Interactive Brokers, which he founded in 1993. The company markets a specialized trading platform to sophisticated investors and grew out of his earlier market-making operation. Peterffy remained chief executive until December 2019 and continued as chairman. His money is also tied to land ownership. Forbes notes that he is a major landowner with more than 560,000 acres, mostly in Florida, but his main fortune is linked to his brokerage business.
Forbes value over time
Forbes has tracked large swings in Peterffy’s estimated wealth over the years. It placed him at $17.1 billion in 2019, then $14.3 billion in 2020. The estimate later climbed to $25 billion in 2021, dipped to $20.1 billion in 2022, and moved back up to $25.3 billion in 2023. Those changes line up with the value tied to Interactive Brokers, the company at the center of his fortune.
The more recent Forbes estimates rose even faster. Forbes put Peterffy at $34 billion in 2024 and $57.3 billion in 2025 before listing him at $82.9 billion in 2026. As of October 20, 2026, Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker showed $96.5 billion. His market-making business also changed along the way. In March 2017, he said part of that operation would phase out after pressure from faster competitors.
Career and money timeline
- 1965
He arrived in America and later worked as an architectural draftsman and programmer.
- 1977
He bought a seat on the American Stock Exchange and traded options.
- 1993
He founded Interactive Brokers after starting in market-making.
- 1999
He helped persuade the SEC to allow electronic links between U.S. options markets.
- 2007
Interactive Brokers Group began public trading under the ticker IBKR.
- 2017
He said part of his market-making operation would phase out.
- 2019
He stepped down as CEO of Interactive Brokers in December.
Thomas Peterffy net worth FAQ
What is Thomas Peterffy's net worth?
Thomas Peterffy's net worth is an estimated $96.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Thomas Peterffy profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Thomas Peterffy get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Discount brokerage.
Is Thomas Peterffy a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Thomas Peterffy is worth $96.5 billion.
How has Thomas Peterffy's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $17.1 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $96.5 billion (October 20, 2026).
What company is most tied to Thomas Peterffy’s wealth?
Interactive Brokers is the main company behind his fortune. He founded it in 1993 and remains chairman and the largest shareholder.
Did Thomas Peterffy start in brokerage?
No. He first worked as an architectural draftsman and then as a computer programmer. He later moved into options trading and electronic market systems.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Thomas Peterffy profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Thomas Peterffy profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Thomas Peterffy profile (April 8, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Thomas Peterffy profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Thomas Peterffy profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Thomas Peterffy profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Thomas Peterffy profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Thomas Peterffy profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Thomas Peterffy 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, Thomas Peterffy (accessed October 21, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Photo: danor shtruzman, Public domain, 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.