From LVMH chief Bernard Arnault and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos to investor Warren Buffet and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, these wealthy individuals are leaders in their respective fields. In the world of financial trading, there is an abundance of successful professionals who have also shone on the trading floor and recorded huge earnings over the years.
In a highly competitive industry, only a few generally make it to the very top of the trading tree. For people with a fascination for the markets, though, it can be a highly lucrative career. Forex, for example, is an exciting financial market that features over $6 trillion being traded every day. New traders are therefore springing up on a regular basis given the type of money being earned, all of whom are hoping to emulate the success of some of the world’s richest financial traders.
The most attractive aspect of financial trading is that it’s a level playing field. Anyone can access expert online trading platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 to start trading like a professional. Of course, you’ll be starting off with less capital than the billionaires we list below, but many of them started on their journey from low net worth and used their experience and intelligence, as well as a little luck, to get to the top and pull in huge sums of money during their trading journeys.
These inspirational professionals have managed to earn big despite the unpredictability of the markets and adapted their strategies to create a winning formula. Also, nailing a proper risk management approach and being fearless with their trades, the world’s richest financial traders have certainly set the standard and continue to inspire other ambitious traders around the world. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
Ray Dalio made his first investment when he was 12
Not everyone embarks on a career in financial trading before they’ve reached their teenage years, but Ray Dalio is clearly one of a kind. At the age of 12, the Harvard Business School graduate invested $300 in Northeast Airlines and witnessed a threefold return when the airline later merged.
It was a great learning experience for Dalio; he clearly couldn’t resist foraying further into the trading game. In 1975, as an adult, Dalio founded Bridgewater from his bedroom in New York City and quickly saw it rise to become the world’s top hedge fund. Now, with an estimated $19.1 billion to his name, Ray Dalio has become a trading legend and continues to inspire those around him.
Steve Cohen has a net worth of $19.8 billion
While many successful traders have used Ray Dalio’s journey as their inspiration, others have looked at the dramatic growth Steve Cohen has achieved. The founder of SAC Capital Advisors, a leading hedge fund known for its aggressive trading strategies and huge returns over the years, Cohen is a master trader with a wide range of success stories to his name.
His various approaches are what separates him from other professionals in this area, though, with Cohen gaining recognition not just for the large profits he makes but also for his ability to take calculated risks that pay off, his extensive knowledge of the markets, and his all-round skill at knowing a sound investment opportunity when he sees one. Now operating as a family business under the name of Point72 Asset Management following a number of legal challenges SAC Capital faced, Steve Cohen has a reported $19.8 billion to his name.
Paul Tudor Jones has deep pockets due to macro trades
One of the most appealing aspects of financial trading is that there are numerous ways someone can pull in humongous sums of money. For Paul Tudor Jones, his area of expertise is macro trading, especially around currencies and bets on interest rates. Now, with an estimated $8.1 billion in the bank, Paul Tudor Jones has some of the deepest pockets in the business, and he continues to earn big with his hedge fund.
Also a respected voice after playing a leading role in ‘The Trader’ in 1987 and predicting a market crash in the documentary, Paul Tudor Jones founded and now manages his Tudor Investment Corporation and continues to be regarded as one of the biggest and best financial traders around.
George Soros is a legendary hedge fund manager
Ask most financial traders today if they’ve heard of George Soros, and they’ll definitely know who he is, particularly in the UK. Soros experienced a fruitful period in England after graduating with an MA degree from the London School of Economics. The birth of Double Eagle was when Soros came into even bigger sums of money, with his first hedge fund taking off alongside his second hedge fund, Soros Fund Management.
A trader who has always known how to record large earnings from his dealings, he is perhaps most famous for being the man who almost brought down the Bank of England. Soros earned himself a massive $1 billion profit in doing so, alongside being given the nickname of “the man who broke the Bank of England.” It’s worth noting that controversy has surrounded George Soros during his time as a financial trader, but it’s impossible to deny his overall impact and his masterful approach to making money, all of which has resulted in him having an estimated net worth of $6.7 billion.
Bruce Kovner is worth an estimated $6.6 billion
Easily one of the most successful forex traders ever, Bruce Kovner’s skill in this area is evident. Now, with around $6.6 billion to his name, the well-known hedge fund manager and investor continues to showcase his in-depth knowledge.
Also, a philanthropist with a glowing reputation, the founder of Caxton Alternative Management, one of the most successful hedge funds around, has experienced it all. Kovner became particularly famous in the financial trading world after standing out during his time at Commodities Corporation, a period of his life where he achieved most of his fortune.
