Valérie Bègue Highest-Paid Model in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Paris
  • Last updated on

Valérie Bègue
Valérie Bègue led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid models” released on Monday.

It's been a rough year for the model, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 40-year-old Valérie Bègue has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid models for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 17/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Valérie Bègue tops annual list of highest-paid models

In 2023 it looked like the model’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 16) that Bègue is the highest-paid model in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $20 million lead over her 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 French model-television host has an estimated net worth of $145 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Bègue Burger” chain) in Paris, a Football Team (the “Saint-Pierre Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderbègue - France), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Valérie) and a fashion line called “Valérie Bègue Seduction”.

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

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