Josh Kushner’s fortune hits $17.5 billion as Thrive Capital’s bets pay off

Josh Kushner is now worth an estimated $17.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, as of October 8, 2026. The engine behind that number is Thrive Capital, the firm he founded in 2010. Its early bets on companies like OpenAI and SpaceX have matured into some of the most valuable positions in private markets. How the fortune came together The bulk of Kushner’s wealth comes from his ownership of Thrive Capital itself. His effective stake in the firm is about 97%. That matters because Thrive has grown fast. Assets under management climbed to over $65 billion by August 2026, up from $23 billion at the end of 2024. Forbes put the speed of the climb in sharper focus. In August 2026, it estimated Kushner’s net worth at approximately $16.7 billion, compared with $5.2 billion a year earlier. Thrive’s fund performance helps explain why. The firm’s internal rate of return stands at 33% across its funds. One standout is Thrive’s early-stage fund. It grew from $516 million to over $3.7 billion by mid-2026, powered by positions in OpenAI and defense tech company Anduril. The portfolio doing the heavy lifting SpaceX is one of the biggest contributors. Thrive’s stake in the rocket...