Ding Liren Highest-Paid Chess grandmaster in the World

It's been a rough year for the chess grandmaster, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 33-year-old Ding Liren has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid chess grandmasters for 2026 with an estimated $75 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 02/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Ding Liren tops annual list of highest-paid chess grandmasters

In 2024 it looked like the chess grandmaster’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Thursday (October 1) that Ding is the highest-paid chess grandmaster in the world, pulling in an astonishing $75 million between September 2025 and September 2026, a nearly $40 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 Chinese chess grandmaster has an estimated net worth of $215 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 Ding Burger” chain) in Beijing, a Football Team (the “Wenzhou Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderding - China), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Liren) and a fashion line called “Ding Liren Seduction”.

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

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