Chen Shui-bian Highest-Paid Politician in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Taipei
  • Last updated on

Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid politicians” released on Saturday.

It's been a rough year for the politician, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 76-year-old Chen Shui-bian has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid politicians for 2026 with an estimated $58 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 01/11/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Chen Shui-bian tops annual list of highest-paid politicians

In 2024 it looked like the politician’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Saturday (October 31) that Chen is the highest-paid politician in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between October 2025 and October 2026, a nearly $30 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Taiwanese politician has an estimated net worth of $185 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Chen Burger” chain) in Taipei, a Football Team (the “Tainan Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderchen - Taiwan), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Shui-bian) and a fashion line called “Chen Shui-bian Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Shui-bian fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

© 2026 MediaMass All rights reserved. Do not reproduce (even with permission).

Chen Shui-bian: Recent News

 

page served in 0.02s (0,8) /