When it comes to the world of investments, not everyone has the nerves of steel required to turn a tidy fortune, and although there’s no doubt that it’s a lucrative endeavour, it is also seen as risky and overwhelming.
Investing is by no means an easy task, with countless factors to consider before every move you make – but from historic investment heroes such as Benjamin Graham, to modern-day heavyweights including Warren Buffett and George Soros, there’s no denying that the possibilities are infinite, with some seeing the kind of success the majority could only dream of.
An inspiration for generations of young investors, in 2020, these investors are the ones to keep your eye on if you want to learn a thing or two – and learn from their proven expertise.
Warren Buffett
With an estimated net worth of $64.3 billion, Warren Buffett is widely considered to be the most successful investors in history – and as such, requires little introduction. Such are his accomplishments that these days, when he talks, world markets move as a result – which we’re pretty sure says it all.
At the age of 20, he enrolled in an ‘Investment Principles’ night class at the University of Nebraska, Omaha – purchasing a Sinclair Texaco petrol station as a side investment. He became a millionaire in 1962 thanks to extensive profits from a range of different partnerships, with his fortune only multiplying thanks to numerous savvy investments in the years since.
George Soros
George Soros, Hon. FBA is a Hungarian-born American billionaire who has made much of his fortune trading forex, and tops our list of the top investors to watch today.
Educated at the London School of Economics and Political Science, he began trading as a young adult.
Soros’ net worth had previously been estimated at $8.3 billion, but as of September 2020, this was revised to $10 billion – making him one of the world’s most prosperous forex traders. It has to be noted, though, that he is also a major philanthropist, and has donated more than $32 billion to the Open Society Foundations.
Stephen Schwarzman
Thought to be worth upwards of $18.5 billion, Stephen Scwarzman became a prolific investor after rising through the ranks at the investment bank Lehman Brothers, where he eventually became the managing director – aged just 31. In 1985, he teamed up with fellow billionaire Peter Peterson to create mergers and acquisitions company, the Blackstone Group – which later expanded into leveraged buyouts. Today, it manages over $470 billion in assets and trades.
Bill Lipschutz
An immensely successful day trader born in 1956, Bill Lipschutz focuses on foreign exchange markets, and is also the co-founder and director of portfolio management at Hathersage Capital Management. Often referred to as ‘the Sultan of Currencies’, he’s known for his unique and fascinating approach to trading, and has previously described Forex as ‘a very psychological market’.
The signs were there early on in life, since Bill was a maths fanatic throughout his school years – but we can’t imagine his teachers would have predicted such meteoric success.
Paul Tudor Jones
Another who has turned more than just a tidy profit trading forex, Paul Tudor Jones is considered one of the wealthiest traders alive, and as of this year, has a net worth of $6 billion. It might seem like small fry compared to the others so far on this list, but a billion is a billion – and we don’t know many who would turn their noses up at six.
After studying at the University of Virginia and graduating with a degree in Economics, he turned down an offer to attend the prestigious Harvard Business School, opting instead to work as a commodities trader in the NYSE.
He later went on to found his hedge fund, Tudor Investment Corporation, in 1980, and made his money by betting on fluctuations in interest rates on the forex market.
Another major philanthropist, he is also the founder of poverty reduction charity, the Robin Hood Fund, and pours money into its projects each year.
Final thought
Whether you’re thinking of becoming a full-time trader, or simply starting an investment portfolio on the side, then let these five investors serve as inspiration for you. There are billions to be made with the right moves, and in years to come, who knows – you, too, could be making it onto this list.
