There are more than 600 million users on Facebook as of January 2011, according to the investment bank Goldman Sachs. If that number is not enough to amaze you, let us simplify that by saying it means — hold your breath — one in every 12 people in the world has a Facebook account.
Such widespread clout undoubtedly translates to power and, of course, money. True enough, five people who are or were connected to Facebook are now considered billionaires. They include the founders and investors of the popular social networking site (whose disputes were the subject of the movie The Social Network).
If you did watch The Social Network, we’re sure you’re familiar with these five Facebook billionaires.
5 Top Facebook Billionaires
#1. Mark Zuckerberg
Net Worth: $13.5 billion
Age: 26
CEO/President of Facebook
Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard dormitory room on February 4, 2004. Four years later, at age 23, he was recognized as the world’s youngest billionaire with net worth of $1.5 billion, thanks to his majority stake in the social networking site. In 2010 his net worth surged 238% to $13.5 billion as investments from firms like Goldman Sachs boosted Facebook’s valuation to $50 billion. Time magazine also recognized him in 2010 as the “Person of the Year”.
#2. Dustin Moskovitz
Net Worth: $2.7 billion
Age: 26
Co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer of Facebook
The world’s youngest billionaire, Moskovitz was Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard roommate and Facebook co-founder. He is just eight days younger than Zuckerberg. The two dropped out of Harvard and moved to California to work for the social networking firm full time; he was its first chief technology officer and then vice president of engineering. He left in 2008 to start Asana, a software company that allows individuals and small companies to better collaborate.
#3. Eduardo Saverin
Net Worth: $1.6 billion
Age: 28
Co-founder of Facebook
Saverin and friend Mark Zuckerberg worked together to launch Thefacebook, the precursor to Facebook. As co-founder, Saverin held the role of CFO and business manager. When other employees moved to California to relocate the site’s operations in Silicon valley, Saverin stayed behind. Later Facebook sued him for allegedly interfering with business and insisting on keeping a 30% stake. Saverin countersued. The parties settled and Saverin apparently got a 5% stake and a cofounder bio on Facebook’s site. Now living in Singapore, he recently invested in hot startup Qwiki.
#4. Sean Parker
Net Worth: $1.6 billion
Age: 32
Investor and former President of Facebook
At age 19 Parker co-founded Napster, a free file-sharing service, but the venture collapsed under piracy allegations. In November 2002, he subsequently launched Plaxo, an online address book and social networking service that integrated with Microsoft Outlook. He joined Facebook in 2004 and became its first president receiving 7% of Facebook’s stock when the company became incorporated later that year. He was forced to leave Facebook after being arrested for suspicion of cocaine possession. Currently a managing partner at venture capital firm Founders Fund, his reported remaining stake in Facebook is under 3%.
#5. Peter Thiel
Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Age: 44
Investor of Facebook
Thiel cofounded online payment system PayPal in 1998, sold it to eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion, personally netting $60 million from the sale. In late 2004, he made a $500,000 angel investment in Facebook for 10.2% of the company. In addition to Facebook, Thiel made early-stage investments in internet start-ups such as LinkedIn, Slide and Friendster.
Source: Forbes
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