Linus Torvalds Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Linus Torvalds Net Worth (Money & Salary)
June 9, 2025
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What is Linus Torvalds’ Net Worth and Salary?
A Finnish software engineer, Linus Torvalds possesses a net worth estimated at $50 million. He is best recognized for his role in the development of the Linux kernel, which currently drives billions of mobile devices using the Android operating system, in addition to the corporate systems utilized by Amazon, eBay, Google, and PayPal. The name “Linux” is a stylized adaptation of his first name. Torvalds is often referred to as Linux’s “benevolent dictator for life,” holding authority and final approval over each line of code even today. The Linux Foundation compensates him with approximately $1.5 million annually to facilitate the software’s support. The foundation manages a $50 million budget aimed at coordinating thousands of programmers globally, who collectively contribute around 80,000 code modifications and enhancements each year.
In addition to his work on Linux, Linus Torvalds created Git, a distributed version control system. He is also acknowledged as the developer of Subsurface, a logging and planning software for scuba diving.
For his significant contributions to technology, the Millennium Technology Prize was awarded to Linus Torvalds in 2012 by Technology Academy Finland. He has been praised for his creation of an open-source operating system and has received numerous accolades throughout his career. Notably active in the contemporary tech scene, Torvalds continues to refine the Linux kernel while engaging in various other projects.
Early Life
Born in Helsinki, Finland, on December 28th, 1969, Linus Benedict Torvalds grew up with two journalist parents in a family steeped in literature and poetry. He was raised speaking Swedish at home, which is uncommon in Finland, and was named after Nobel Prize-winning chemist Linus Pauling.
At just 11 years old, Torvalds began experimenting with early consumer computers, including the Commodore VIC-20. He later acquired a Sinclair QL, which he extensively modified, particularly its operating system. By the 1990s, he was already creating his own video games, among them a Pac-Man clone titled “Cool Man.” In 1991, he purchased an Intel-based clone of an IBM PC.
Upon completing secondary school, Linus enrolled at the University of Helsinki. He graduated in 1996 with a master’s degree in computer science, having actively participated in the NODES research group. However, his education was interrupted for a year in 1989 while he fulfilled Finland’s obligatory military service, during which he served in the Finnish Navy and achieved the rank of second lieutenant.
Upon his return to university, he was well-acquainted with MINIX, a simple Unix variant, which inspired him to initiate the development of Linux, culminating in his MSc thesis titled “Linux: A Portable Operating System.”

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Career
By 1996, he had moved to California to join Transmeta, where he remained with the company.for six years, before transitioning to Open Source Labs. Following several mergers, Open Source Labs evolved into the Linux Foundation, where Torvalds continues to contribute to this day.
While in the United States, Linus worked on 86open, playing a key role in establishing a standard binary format for Linux and Unix. Over time, he has become a staunch advocate for open-source software.
Currently, Torvalds has contributed around 2% of the Linux kernel’s code. This represents one of the largest individual contributions, though others are increasingly taking more central roles. Although Torvalds has acknowledged that he doesn’t engage in much programming for Linux these days, he still possesses the highest authority regarding the implementation of new code into the Linux kernel. Furthermore, Linus holds the trademark for “Linux.”
Stock Holdings
Linus Torvalds’ current wealth is primarily attributed to his stock holdings from the late 1990s. In 1999, Red Hat and VA Linux, both prominent developers of Linux-based software, presented Torvalds with stock options as a token of appreciation for his creation. That same year, both companies went public, causing Torvalds’ share value to briefly soar to about $20 million. Today, the Linux Foundation supports Torvalds as he focuses full-time on enhancing Linux.
Relationships
Linus met Tove Torvalds, a Finnish karate champion, in 1993, and they married, having three daughters together. His family primarily resides in the United States, where two of his children were born and raised.
Religious Views
Linus Torvalds is widely recognized as an agnostic, although he has previously identified as an atheist. He has criticized religion in the past, suggesting that it “detracts from both morals and appreciation of nature.” Nevertheless, one of Linus’ most famous statements is, “Do unto others as you want them to do unto you.” Many interpreted this as a Christian endorsement, but Torvalds later clarified his agnostic stance.
Criticism
Despite openly supporting open-source software, Torvalds faced backlash for using and praising BitKeeper software for version control with the Linux kernel. Responding to this criticism, Linus created Git, a completely free alternative to BitKeeper.
Known for being unapologetically confrontational, some people describe Torvalds as hostile in his criticism of others. Linus himself has confessed to being a “really unpleasant person,” asserting that such an approach is essential to convey his points effectively. His style has drawn criticism from various developers and programmers. Following the replacement of the Linux Kernel “Code of Conflict” with a new “Code of Conduct” based on the Contributor Covenant, Linus faced significant scrutiny for his behavior. Consequently, he was compelled to apologize and returned to maintaining the kernel after being confronted by “The New Yorker.”
The data spans from 2023 through 2024, with projections extending into 2025 and 2026. Additionally, we broaden the forecast to include 2027 and 2028.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Linus Torvalds Net Worth (Money & Salary)
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