Nakamura’s fortune is estimated around $50 million
El Pais published an article claiming that GM Hikaru Nakamura is the world’s wealthiest chess player.
According to multiple sources the 34-year-old GM has a fortune around $50 million with only a small percentage of those earnings coming from prizes he has won in chess competitions. “I am losing money in this tournament [Candidates 2022],” Nakamura told EL PAÍS a few days ago.
So where do all these millions come from? Nakamura has more than 1.4m followers on Twitch, and 1.3m on Youtube while being vastly popular on Twitter, Instagram and POG University. His main income comes from streaming of him playing or commenting on his games. Recently he has been signed by the powerful Misfits Gaming Group, a video game and electronic sports company, guaranteeing him an additional income from his streaming platforms. Additionally, he generates substantial income from energy drink endorsements, among other things. Lastly, Nakamura wins noteworthy prizes from over-the-board tournaments like the Grand Prix Series and the Candidates.
The American chess superstar invests much of his earnings in stocks, frequently participates in charitable activities, and also fundraises money for good causes like the abortion rights.
It is remarkable that the net worth of the World Champion Magnus Carlsen is estimated around $8 millions, which is more than 6 times less than Nakamura’s.
