Viswanathan Anand 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. 56-year-old Viswanathan Anand has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid chess grandmasters for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 11/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Viswanathan Anand tops annual list of highest-paid chess grandmasters

In 2023 it looked like the chess grandmaster’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Friday (April 10) that Anand is the highest-paid chess grandmaster in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between March 2025 and March 2026, a nearly $50 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 Indian chess grandmaster has an estimated net worth of $245 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 Anand Burger” chain) in New Delhi, a Football Team (the “Mayiladuthurai Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderanand - India), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Viswanathan) and a fashion line called “Viswanathan Anand Seduction”.

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

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