Robert Kiyosaki Net Worth, Crypto and NFT Investments

Meanwhile, apart from his success as an author, Robert Kiyosaki also made a name for himself through public speaking engagements. Likewise, he is a Bitcoin investor and has continued to show his admiration for the cryptocurrency publicly. Kiyosaki also invests in Gold and Silver, describing them as hedges against inflation. 

Robert Kiyosaki’s Net Worth

The Early Life of Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Toru Kiyosaki was born on April 8, 1947, to Ralph and Marjorie Kiyosaki in Hilo, Hawaii. At the time, Hilo was under the control of the United States government. This explains why Kiyosaki is often categorized as one of the “Yonsei” generation of Japanese Americans. “Yonsei” refers to fourth-generation Japanese who were born in the United States. 

His father, Ralph Kiyosaki, was an educator, while his mother, Marjorie Kiyosaki, was a registered nurse. Kiyosaki graduated from Hilo High School in 1965. Upon completing his diploma, he went to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in 1969. Unfortunately, Kiyosaki lost his mother in 1971, and his father died twenty years later. 

Kiyosaki began to travel on merchant ships, exploring various parts of the world. This adventure allowed him to gain exposure to numerous cultures. One of the things that caught his attention during this time was the high level of poverty in the regions he visited. This experience influenced his drive to become successful.

Later, Kiyosaki rejected a lucrative offer from Standard Oil and chose to enlist in the Marine Corps. His enlistment enabled him to serve in the Vietnam War as a gunship pilot. During the war, he flew helicopters armed with heavy weapons. In 1972, Kiyosaki was stationed in Hilo, Hawaii. A year later, he decided to enroll at the University of Hawaii at Hilo for a Master of Business Administration. In 1974, he left the Marine Corps and was presented with the Air Medal for his service. 

Kiyosaki detailed his entire life story in a full interview with DJ Vlad on YouTube if you want to learn more. 

Robert Kiyosaki’s Business Career

In an essay, Kiyosaki once revealed that his experience in the Marine Corps gave him the integrity he needed to succeed in business. Kiyosaki’s academic exposure in Business Administration also provided him with the knowledge to strive as an entrepreneur. According to Kiyosaki, he began to develop an interest in business after attending Erhard EST seminars around 1974.

In order to get more experience, Kiyosaki took a job with Xerox Corporation as a salesman. There, he sold copy machines and later became a top salesman in the organization. However, he wasn’t satisfied with just being a salesman as he wanted to start his own business. Driven by this passion, he saved most of his earnings which he later harnessed to fulfill his dream.

DREAMS DO COME TRUE: Many entrepreneurs dream of taking their startup public. Going public is heart beat of Capitalism. Academic elite hate capitalists because all academics have are advanced degrees but no money. DREAM BIG. Take your dream public on NYSE. I did. You can too.

— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) July 11, 2022

In 1977, Kiyosaki established his company, “Rippers.” The company produced nylon and Velcro surfer wallets. Later, he decided to cut the production cost of the wallets in a bid to maximize his profit. Due to that, the product began to lose quality and eventually experienced a decline in its demand. This caused his first business to struggle financially, eventually leading to its demise. 

Kiyosaki learned his lesson, and was prompted to try again. In his second attempt, he established a company that designed T-shirts for heavy metal rock bands. Initially, this company enjoyed significant success due to the immense popularity of heavy-metal songs at the time, which resulted in high demand for T-shirts branded in the style. However, the success of the organization was short-lived. According to Kiyosaki, the company was shuttered due to his inability to finance his inventory and his eventual wish to move on to his next venture.

However, before the company began to struggle with finances, Kiyosaki had already invested heavily in stock, shares, and real estate. Despite the collapse of that second project, he refused to bow to pressure and instead focused on regaining his wealth. 

Business Education

Later, Robert Kiyosaki met R. Buckminster Fuller, who inspired him to make a positive difference as an educator of entrepreneurship and finance. Fuller’s words of encouragement propelled Kiyosaki to work as a motivational speaker for a personal growth seminar business known as “Money and You.”

Kiyosaki taught his students the works of Buckminster Fuller. The seminar business is based in the United States and Canada. Eventually, its popularity spread to countries like Australia and New Zealand. In 1996, alongside his wife, Kiyosaki invented the Cashflow Board Game.

Through the project, the couple educated thousands of subscribers on how to engage in profitable investments. The success of the business contributed significantly to Kiyosaki’s net worth. Kiyosaki, his wife, and Sharon Lechter were the company’s stakeholders. Lechter soon left the company and eventually sued her former partners in 2008, accusing Kiyosaki and his wife of redirecting assets and taking a disproportionate share of the profits.
In 1997, he established “The Rich Dad Company.” The firm focuses on financial education and provides publications, educational materials, and games. These offerings are geared toward educating people on financial planning and asset classes.

The company enjoyed significant growth and amassed more than one million followers on Twitter. By that point, “Rich Dad” had recorded four million unique visitors on its web page with more than 62,000 referring domains. 

Later, around 2006, Kiyosaki established Rich Dad Education. It served as the educational arm of the Rich Dad Company. The company is estimated to be worth $20 million and has about 20,000 students in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. The business provides educational materials and services like free interactive webinars, workshops, and mentorship programs.

Publication

Kiyosaki has already made a name for himself as a successful author. He ventured into book publishing in 1997 when he co-authored “Rich Dad Poor Dad” alongside Lechter. In the book, Kiyosaki emphasized the importance of financial education, independence, and wealth building. He encouraged readers to invest in assets and real estate.

The book is a reflection on Kiyosaki’s life. In an effort to explain the significance of businesses and investments, he narrated a story of his friend’s father and his dad. According to Kiyosaki, his friend’s father (the “rich dad”) became wealthy by investing and establishing various businesses. Kiyosaki, however, portrayed his own father as the “poor dad” who focused only on hard work and couldn’t attain financial prosperity. 

The publication enjoyed widespread acceptance, with over 32 million copies sold. It was published in more than 51 languages and even made it to the New York Times bestsellers list for more than six years. 

Also, “Rich Dad Poor Dad” has attracted the attention of various celebrities, including the world-famous actor Will Smith. Smith revealed that he had taught his son about financial independence soon after he had read the book. Similarly, American fashion entrepreneur and investor Daymond John once disclosed that the book is one of his favorites.

In 2000, Oprah Winfrey featured Kiyosaki on her show to discuss ownership and passive income topics with a broad audience. Five years later, the US Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) honored Kiyosaki with an “Excellence in Education award.”

Around 2006, a public television station, KOCE, broadcasted Kiyosaki’s 55-minute show titled “Your Guide to Wealth.” The show provided a summary of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” book. Later, the growing popularity of the book caught the attention of Donald Trump, a successful business mogul who later became the President of the United States.

Trump featured the erudite business educator in his books. They published the first book titled “Why We Want You to Be Rich, Two Men One Message” in 2006. The second book was published in 2011, titled “Midas Touch: Why Some Entrepreneurs Get Rich – And Why Most Don’t.”

While speaking about some of the challenges he endured before the success of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad book,” Kiyosaki recalled how he was turned down by various publishers. In his audiobook, Choose to be Rich, Kiyosaki said Barnes & Noble refused to stock the book.

These challenges turned out to be nothing but minor speed bumps. In April 2017, Kiyosaki published the 20th-anniversary edition of the book. In the preface, Kiyosaki stated that over 40 million copies have already been sold.

Apart from “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” he has published other books. His latest book, titled “The Ravens: How To Prepare For And Profit From The Turbulent Times Ahead,” was published in 2023. 

Robert Kiyosaki’s Many Controversies

Robert Kiyosaki’s success as an author and educator made him world-famous, with millions of fans around the globe. Nevertheless, he has his critics too. Between 2006 and 2007, Kiyosaki advised people to invest in real estate. This proved to be terrible advice at the time, as the value of real estate plummeted as the real estate bubble popped. This development sparked criticism against Kiyosaki by people who felt he had led them astray with his advice.

Kiyosaki became the subject of another controversy in 2010 after the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation investigated allegations of scams against his company. Eventually, the agency discovered that some of the success claims in his seminars were untrue. More so, seminar teachers in his “Rich Dad” company were accused of misleading people after their testimonies of investing in trailers and trailer parks. According to the findings of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the supposedly successful parks were nothing but empty land without any meaningful investment.

The same year, popular journalist Allan Roth documented some of his experiences when he attended one of Robert Kiyosaki’s free seminars. He exposed some strategies used by Kiyosaki to convince people. CBC-TV’s Marketplace also investigated Kiyosaki’s seminars in Canada. The investigation exposed what transpired in a $450 seminar of the renowned motivational speaker through a hidden camera, including Kiyosaki’s response to undercover investigators.

Similarly, his book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” also faced criticism in recent years. One of the critics, John T. Reed, said the book contained a host of misleading content. He referred to the publication as the “dumbest financial advice book” he has ever read. According to him, it contained factual errors and some impossible accounts of events. Also, another critic, Rob Walker, said the book is full of nonsense. He found fault with Kiyosaki’s conclusion that “the Protestant work ethic is for suckers.” He also critiqued Rich Dad Poor Dad as simply a commercial for Kiyosaki’s $5,000 per person educational seminars.

Robert Kiyosaki’s Investment Portfolio

Robert Kiyosaki’s investment portfolio consists of crypto, gold, silver, real estate, and his “Rich Dad” brand. His interest in real estate began when he was 26 years old. Back then, he bought his first real estate property in Hawaii. Later, he founded a real estate investment firm, Rich Global LLC. Through this firm, he has been able to invest millions in several residential and commercial properties in states like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and more. 

In recent years Kiyosaki acquired gold and silver bullion because he anticipated economic recession. In 2019, he added palladium and platinum coins to his portfolio. His belief is that gold and silver can help protect wealth against government deficits and money printing.

It is worth establishing that Kiyosaki’s interest in gold and silver has proven to be a good decision (so far). According to figures provided by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), the value of the two assets soared from $1,800 and $22 in January 2022 to $1,900 and $24.81 per ounce, respectively, in January 2023. These upward swings in the value of precious metals are pushing Kiyosaki’s net worth higher and higher.

Is Robert Kiyosaki Pro Crypto?

Robert Kiyosaki has always been vocal about his support for crypto, particularly his favorite cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. Driven by this commitment, he usually leverages his Twitter account, with over two million followers, to promote and express bullish views about it. In recent years, his views began to gain a lot of attention among the crypto community in the space.

Kiyosaki’s reason for supporting Bitcoin is not far-fetched. He has reservations about the various policies of the Fed, Treasury, and Wall Street. Over the years, he expressed his doubt over the overzealous money-printing policies of the Fed, describing them as the architect behind the recent devaluation of the US dollar. 

The famous investor sees Bitcoin as the solution, and has even described it as the best hedge against ravaging economic downturns. He has no doubt in the ability of the crypto to protect people’s wealth from inflation.

I love Bitcoin because I do not trust Fed, Treasury, or Wall Street.

— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) October 15, 2021

Apart from his Twitter account, Kiyosaki has also harnessed other means of spreading the gospel of Bitcoin and influencing investors on how to keep a strong portfolio. He founded the “Rich Dad Community,” a platform to educate and mentor investors about how to leverage the opportunities in Bitcoin.

Through this platform he has written scores of articles to express perspectives about the Bitcoin market. So, it is safe to identify him as a crypto analyst. Some of the titles he has covered include “Bitcoin Superpower, Bitcoin and Ethereum Crash,” “The True Potential of DeFi,” “Bitcoin’s Flash Crash,” “Is Bitcoin Back from the Dead,” and several others. 

In the article titled “Is Bitcoin Back from the Dead,” Kiyosaki reflected on the 2021 bear market, attributing it to the decision by Elon Musk’s Tesla to stop accepting Bitcoin for payment. Later, the company reversed the decision and began to accept the token again. Kiyosaki believed the reversal, coupled with the relaxation of the Chinese government’s attack on crypto, were the catalysts that aided the recovery of the market at that time. 

He described Bitcoin as digital gold and explained why he always goes for it whenever the price is low. 

“As many of you know, I believe in Bitcoin. I was very excited when the prices dropped so I could buy more. Unlike most, I am not using Bitcoin to make millions. I’m using Bitcoin to protect my millions as insurance from the collapse of the dollar. I see Bitcoin as digital gold. What is interesting is how most cryptocurrencies follow the path of Bitcoin. If Bitcoin is falling, most coins will fall, too. As Bitcoin rises, most coins will rise with it. This is why tracking Bitcoin is so useful; it signals when the crypto market will be entering a Bull or a Bear market,” Kiyosaki noted.

Crypto and NFT Holdings of Robert Kiyosaki

Apart from his book sales and financial mentorship programs, Kiyosaki personally invested in cryptocurrency. According to our findings, his portfolio is dominated by Bitcoin. As of 2024, Kiyosaki revealed that he personally owns 73 BTC, worth over $7.2 million, with plans to own up to 100 BTC.

In one of his recent “Rich Dad” podcasts, he reflected on how he bought 60 Bitcoins at $6,000 each. Later, he confirmed he accumulated more Bitcoin at $9,000 each. Similarly, he also hinted in 2022 and 2023 that he bought additional Bitcoins.

All of these give us an insight into how the continued rise in Bitcoin has helped grow Kiyosaki’s net worth. As of February 2025, Bitcoin trades above $97,000. Certainly, he must have gained millions of dollars from his investment. It’s safe to call him a famous Bitcoin investor. Meanwhile, you can also check out our other deep dives into popular Bitcoin investors across the globe. 

Notably, Kiyosaki also has Ethereum in his portfolio. His first exposure to that crypto can be traced to 2021, after he raised an alarm about rising inflation. In a Twitter post, Kiyosaki advised his followers to do the same. 

Kiyosaki has long been openly bullish about NFTs too. In recent years, his “The Rich Dad” platform provided bullish insights surrounding the NFT market, particularly in terms of its adoption and popularity. However, Kiyosaki is yet to confirm if he holds NFTs or not.

Robert Kiyosaki’s Views on Debt

Robert Kiyosaki’s views on debt differ from other financial influencers such as Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey, both of whom are proponents of minimizing debt or getting rid of debt entirely. Kiyosaki advises people to do the exact opposite by using debt to acquire assets. Kiyosaki likes to differentiate between good debt and bad debt.

In his view, good debt is any debt used to acquire wealth, which consists of real estate, businesses, or other assets that are income-producing. Conversely, he considers bad debt to be debt that cannot be used to build wealth. Credit card debt would be the prime example.

Robert Kiyosaki’s Net Worth – Our Verdict

Robert Kiyosaki’s portfolio consists of real estate, gold, silver, and cryptocurrency, fitting his anti-inflation mindset. Similarly, his educational endeavors and financial training seminars through the “Rich Dad” project also contributed significantly to his wealth. As of 2023, he has over 30 books to his name.

Apart from being a famous investor, Kiyosaki is a proponent of financial freedom and has, over the years, told his followers that they should not trust the Fed, Treasury, and Wall Street. Most of his teachings are geared toward ensuring that people take necessary risks, understand emerging technologies, hedge against inflation and know the difference between assets and liabilities. Without any doubt, Kiyosaki’s activities in recent years reflect these teachings.

In 2023, it was estimated that Kiyosaki had a net worth of roughly $100 million. He now claims to be more than a billion dollars in debt. He explains his philosophy by saying that most people use debt to buy liabilities, whereas he used debt to accumulate assets. His views toward debt are rooted in the dollar being a debt-based currency and hard assets being the only true store of value.

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