Peter Schiff Net Worth: Is Gold Better Than Bitcoin?

Peter Schiff is a titan in the finance world, often known for his economic predictions and advocacy for gold investments. He is a stockbroker, a financial commentator, and a wealthy businessman, all of which helped him to build a significant fortune. As of 2025, Peter Schiff’s net worth is estimated at between $100 million and $150 million.

Schiff gained widespread recognition when he accurately predicted the 2008 financial crisis. From that point onward, the so-called “Dr. Doom” cemented his reputation as an economic forecaster. He got his nickname for his often pessimistic views on the U.S. economy, warning investors about looming financial risks.

Over the years, Schiff has founded several profitable companies, including Schiff Gold and Euro Pacific Asset Management. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at his net worth, the main sources of his wealth, his stance on cryptocurrencies and more.

Breaking Down Peter Schiff’s Net Worth in 2025

In an interview filed in the middle of the pandemic, Schiff shared that he was worth $70 million 10 years prior (around 2011), a number that is “quite a bit higher today.” He goes on to say, “I have a higher net worth now.

More recently, in 2023, Peter Schiff posted on X that his net worth is “a lot more money than $80 million, but also a lot less than $1.2 billion”. He posted this statement in response to a tweet from @ExfiatCapital and challenged Michael Saylor to a debate on Bitcoin, suggesting that wealth does not equate to the courage to engage in such a discussion.

My net worth is a lot more than $80 million, but its also a lot less than $1.2 billion, at least for now. But just because he is richer than I am, for now, doesn’t mean he’s got the guts to debate me on #Bitcoin.

— Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) June 27, 2023

Peter Schiff Net Worth: Education and Personal Life

Peter David Schiff was born on March 23, 1963, in New Haven, Connecticut. His father, Irwin Schiff, was a prominent figure in the U.S. tax protester movement. He believed that paying federal income taxes was unconstitutional and, as a result, stopped paying them from 1974 onward. He was convicted multiple times for tax evasion (and related offenses), which led to several prison sentences. Ultimately, Irwin Schiff passed away in prison in October 2015 while serving a 13-year sentence for tax evasion.

Over the years, Peter Schiff has acknowledged his father’s influence. However, he does not share the same radical stance on taxation. He has stated that although his father’s intellectual arguments were compelling, his approach wasn’t pragmatic. “The problem with my father is that he’s not practical. He was always going to lose” – he said.

Schiff’s parents divorced when he was young, and he and his brother, Andrew, went to stay with their mother. The family didn’t stay in one place for long, moving to a new city every few years. Schiff spent most of his childhood in Connecticut, Manhattan, Florida, and Southern California.

In 1987, Schiff earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and accounting from the University of California, Berkeley. Previously, he studied at Beverly Hills High School and the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

Peter Schiff is married to Lauren Schiff. Together, they have three children.

Peter Schiff Net Worth: Exploring His Career and Financial Triumphs

Starting his business journey at Shearson Lehman Brothers in the early 1990s, Schiff quickly found the potential for growth in the world of finance. This eventually led him to found his own firm, which became the cornerstone of his success. Let’s see how his net worth expanded over time.

Making Waves with Euro Pacific Capital

Peter Schiff started working as a stockbroker at Shearson Lehman Brothers. In 1996, he decided to acquire an inactive brokerage firm with his partner. They renamed the firm Euro Pacific Capital and started working together from a small office based in Los Angeles. By 2005, the partners transformed Euro Pacific Capital into a prominent brokerage firm with a global presence. Five years later, Schiff sold the firm to Alliance Global Partners. The company was rebranded following the acquisition.

At the time of the sale, the brokerage firm had several branch offices across the United States, namely in Scottsdale, Boca Raton, Newport Beach, New York City, and Manhattan Beach. Schiff never revealed how much he made from the sale.

Strengthening His Philosophy with Euro Pacific Bank

In 2011, Schiff also founded Euro Pacific Bank, a full reserve operation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The bank offered various financial services, including personal and business accounts, precious metals storage, and offshore banking. It was primarily targeted at high-net-worth investors and considered a haven for people seeking an alternative to the traditional banking systems.

Euro Pacific Bank allowed clients to hold and store precious metals like gold and silver, which aligned with Schiff’s investment philosophy about tangible assets.

Despite the success, Euro Pacific Bank faced regulatory scrutiny over the years. In 2017, it relocated to San Juan in Puerto Rico due to the region’s tax incentives offered to international businesses. However, despite its efforts to maintain compliance with global banking standards, the bank faced legal challenges and was shut down in 2022 by the Puerto Rico Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions.

In response to the suspension, Schiff filed a civil rights lawsuit against OCIF and the IRS, alleging a conspiracy to seize his property and damage his reputation. He even offered to inject $7 million of his own capital into the bank, indicating that he was already quite wealthy at the time.

The bank’s closure was part of a broad investigation into suspected tax evasion known as “Operation Atlantis,” led by the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement. Following the suspension, the bank entered liquidation and sold its assets to Qenta Inc. for $1.25 million.

The saga didn’t end there, however. In December 2023, Schiff settled a defamation lawsuit against the parent company of 60 Minutes Australia, the Nine Network, over a broadcast that alleged his involvement in tax evasion. They reportedly paid him over $360,000 to settle the suit.

Still, Schiff shared that he lost millions of dollars due to this investigation, not to mention his bank.

Boosting Success with Euro Pacific Asset Management

In 2005, Peter Schiff founded a global wealth management firm called Euro Pacific Asset Management, located in Westport, Connecticut. He established this business as a way to manage wealth with a more diversified approach, focusing not only on precious metals but also on emerging and international markets.

Schiff, who is widely recognized for his critiques of U.S. monetary policy, created this firm to help individuals and institutions grow their wealth by investing outside of traditional U.S.-dominated markets. He also encouraged them to prepare for what he saw as an impending financial crisis.

This company offers personalized investment strategies, including portfolio management. It also runs a series of mutual funds and encourages clients to include hard assets like gold and silver in their portfolios.

As of March 2024, Euro Pacific Asset Management LLC reported an AUM of around $1.2 billion.

The Gold Investor’s Precious Metal Investment Firm

In 2010, Peter Schiff founded SchiffGold in response to his firm belief in the potential of silver and gold as safe-haven assets – especially during times of economic instability. For years, Schiff has been a vocal advocate for the role of precious metals in the preservation of wealth. This is why he established his precious metal investment firm – to offer options to people looking to hedge against inflation, currency devaluation, and stock market crashes.

Schiff Gold helps clients buy gold and silver bullion, coins, and bars. The firm now offers a wide selection of precious metals to add to the rich individuals’ investment portfolios. They also offer individual retirement accounts (IRAs) backed by gold and silver, as well as secure storage options in multiple locations worldwide.

In 2016, Peter Schiff sold Schiff Gold to GoldMoney Inc. At the time, the company had reported annual sales of around $125 million in precious metals and a gross profit of $2.8 million.

In 2023, Schiff reacquired SchiffGold from Goldmoney, a transaction that involved the exchange of 212,600 common shares of Goldmoney, valued at $1.3 million, as well as 280,000 common share purchase warrants. He originally got these shares when he sold the company, and Goldmoney removed them from circulation as part of the buyback agreement.

Peter Schiff Net Worth: Economic Views, Politics, and Investments

In addition to the businesses he has managed over the years, Peter Schiff has dabbled in many different markets and industries, including but not limited to politics, authorship, media, and more. Let’s explore the key factors of Schiff’s career growth and take a closer look at the assets fueling his successful portfolios.

The 2007-2008 Financial Crisis

In 2006, Peter Schiff publicly warned of an impending financial crisis, comparing the U.S. economy to the Titanic. He predicted a housing market collapse in 2007, followed by his arguments that things like high inflated asset price levels, low interest rate policy, and excessive speculation would only fuel the crisis.

In 2007, when he published his book “Crash Proof,” Schiff criticized the country’s economic policies, warning readers of rising debt and hyperinflation. He blamed the low savings rates and the Federal Reserve’s politics for shifting the United States from a global creditor to the largest debtor nation.

His shockingly accurate predictions made Schiff popular worldwide, but not all of his predictions materialized. For instance, his prediction that credit card limits would be drastically cut didn’t materialize. Most of his warnings of incoming economic collapse since the financial crisis turned out to be wrong, earning him the nickname “Dr. Doom.”

Schiff’s Political Career

Peter Schiff has been very active politically. He served as an economic advisor to Ron Paul’s 2008 presidential campaign. He aligned with Paul’s strict libertarian views on limited government and sound money, as well as his opposition to the Federal Reserve. Many Libertarians, including Paul and Schiff, go as far as to argue that the inflation caused by the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies amounts to theft.

In late 2008, Schiff’s political career progressed further when he decided to run for Senate. He formally announced his candidacy in September 2009 and received endorsements from both Ron Paul and Steve Forbes.

Schiff finished third in the 2010 Republican primary behind Linda McMahon and Rob Simmons. McMahon ultimately lost the general election to Democrat Richard Blumenthal.

Authorship

Peter Schiff has authored several books, mostly focused on economic policy and investing, as well as the flaws of the U.S. monetary policy. His books include:

Media Appearances

Peter Schiff is a frequent guest on financial news networks and podcasts, where he discusses his strong opinions on inflation, gold stocks, and economic policy. He has been featured on mainstream financial news such as CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business and discussed gold and Bitcoin on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Schiff has also appeared on several other podcasts and alternative media channels, including Tom Woods Show, Libertarian podcast, and Rebel Capitalist.

Last but not least, Schiff hosts his own podcast, “The Peter Schiff Show Podcast,” where he gives weekly market updates and insights.

Peter Schiff’s Anti-Crypto Ideology Explained

Peter Schiff has been a consistent critic of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies since 2013. He frequently describes Bitcoin as a speculative bubble without any intrinsic value and compares it to historical financial manias like the Dutch tulip craze.

Over the years, Schiff has often engaged in public debates with Bitcoin proponents. In 2021, for instance, he debated Anthony Scaramucci, founder of SkyBridge Capital, on the merits of BTC versus gold. Scaramucci argued for Bitcoin’s potential as ‘digital gold,’ but Schiff argued that Bitcoin lacks the tangible value that gold possesses. He has also clashed with Patrick Bet-David, a popular conservative podcaster, over the rise of digital currencies.

In 2025, he posted that he’d be hosting Twitter Spaces to debate Kyle Chasse on Bitcoin vs. Gold.

Source

Despite his criticisms, Schiff has acknowledged missed investment opportunities with Bitcoin. He admitted that had he recognized the crypto’s potential during its early stages, he might have invested. He actually said: “Had I realized that back then, I would have loaded up on Bitcoin.”

At the time, the statement seemed like a change of heart, but that was not the case. In fact, in 2024, he intensified his critique and labeled Bitcoin as a national security threat. He shared that government investments in Bitcoin could misallocate public funds and eventually destabilize the economy.

Interestingly, the vocal Bitcoin critic has ventured into the world of Bitcoin NFTs with his “Golden Triumph” collection. The project, launched in 2023, features a physical painting, 50 digital versions inscribed as Original NFTs on the Bitcoin blockchain, and 50 prints. The collection was auctioned from June 2 to June 9, 2023, with Schiff himself attending the event in New York.

I'm pleased to announce an art project with one of my favorite artists, Market Price. This collaboration features the original painting “Golden Triumph” as well as a series of prints and Ordinals inscribed on the #Bitcoin blockchain. For information go to https://t.co/lEFJmgYTCk pic.twitter.com/vyoErYv39q

— Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) May 26, 2023

Peter Schiff’s Portfolio: What Does He Invest In?

Schiff has never disclosed the precise amount of gold in his personal holdings, but he has been very open about his belief in the asset’s value. We know that he holds quite a bit of gold, but we may never know how much.

It is relatively safe to assume that he hasn’t invested in crypto – at least not in significant amounts. Schiff also revealed that he didn’t like to invest in high-performing stocks, choosing gold and similar assets instead.

“Had I had all my money 10 years ago in the ‘Magnificent Seven,’ I’d be a lot richer than I am today,” he said on the PBD Podcast.

Still, he stands firm on his stance that gold is a more stable investment. In a scenario where the U.S. economy tanks and investors panic sell their stocks, gold is most likely to retain its purchasing power, he says.

Lessons to Learn from Peter Schiff’s Investing Philosophy

Peter Schiff’s investing philosophy offers important lessons for those who are looking to navigate the financial world. The financial expert believes that investing in stable assets like gold is key to safeguarding wealth during economic downturns. Over the years, he has argued that gold holds its value over time, especially in times of financial crises. This conviction shaped much of his investment strategies and most likely makes gold one of the biggest assets in his portfolio.

Schiff believes investors must be cautious of speculative bubbles, particularly in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. He sees the assets as short-term risks. In comparison, he believes gold offers long-term growth and security, something he prioritizes in the modern investment world.

This strategy seems to have paid off a lot for Schiff, considering his net worth. However, even Schiff himself has admitted that he regrets not investing in cryptocurrencies earlier. If he had, his wealth would have expanded more rapidly, especially if he invested early in Bitcoin.

His initial skepticism toward crypto reflects a common mindset in the investment world that is rapidly evolving. Today, many investors recognize that, while gold is important for a stable financial strategy, crypto presents unique growth opportunities. Shift’s expertise is a reminder that markets change, but no single asset can fully guarantee success.

Other financial experts would likely argue that Schiff’s major mistake was not diversifying his portfolio intelligently, mixing high-growth opportunities with stable, wealth-preserving assets. Gold might offer security and long-term stability, but blending it with other assets like stocks and cryptocurrencies can provide a more well-rounded approach to investing.

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