Rank #1327
Kim Beom-su
Net worth $3.2B
Online services · South Korea
- Born
- Mar 27, 1966
- Age
- 60
- Source
- Online services
- Residence
- Seoul
- Citizenship
- South Korea
- Marital status
- Married
- Children
- 2
- Education
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Seoul National University; Master of Science, Seoul National University
Net worth over time
Biography
- Kim Beom-su is the founder of Kakao, South Korea's biggest messaging app, which is installed in 90% of the country's smartphones. He stepped down as chairman and left the board in 2022.
- Kakao's tens of millions of users also use the app for gaming, shopping and chatting.
- In 2014 Kakao acquired the country's No. 2 search engine Daum in an all stock transaction worth $3.3 billion, which resulted in a back door listing.
- That same year the South Korean government classified Kakao as a large company; it is the first tech startup that made it into the big leagues.
- In 2021 Kim signed the Giving Pledge, committing to donate the majority of his wealth to charitable causes.
- Kim grew up in poverty and paid his way through college by offering private tutoring, sometimes skipping meals to save money.
- In 2017 he diversified into crypto and bought into Upbit, a top exchange in South Korea through his holding company K Cube Ventures.
Financial assets
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