GFI's Top 40 Celebrity Fintech Investors

From Pro Athletes to TikTok Stars: Inside the New Wave of Celebrity Fintech Power Players.

Who says fintech don’t have star power? Fintech has become the it spot for celebrities to invest their cash and clout. From legendary NBA MVPs to chart-topping rappers and viral TikTok creators, everyone is getting in on the action.

The math is simple for celebrities diving into fintech. Taking an ownership stake offers far more upside than traditional endorsement deals ever could. Plus, as fintech companies battle for attention in an increasingly noisy market, celebrity investors offer a powerful combination of capital and built-in customer base that no traditional investor can match.

Celebrity equity deals also open doors for smaller fintech companies that couldn't traditionally afford celebrity endorsements. And the icing on the cake? Having skin in the game makes their promotion feel more authentic. After all, wouldn't you trust a celeb more if you knew they put their own money on the line?

That authenticity factor is key, because there’s evidence consumers have a love-hate thing with celebrity endorsement. One survey found that 60.7% of Americans actually trust brands less when a celebrity is involved, with finance being one of the least trusted industries for celeb endorsements​. After all, who does not remember the Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen FTX commercial in which Brady asks all his friends if “they are in” to invest in crypto… a year before FTX turned out to be the largest ponzi scheme in history.

On the flip side, younger fans are more receptive to celebrity-endorsed financial products, with 41% of Gen Z consumers trusting influencer endorsements more than traditional ads. That’s probably why quite a few TikTokers and YouTubers targeting a younger audience made it in our ranking.

A great example of this new breed of fintech celebrity investor is TikTok megastar Charli D’Amelio. At just 16, she joined a $50 million funding round for teen-banking app Step, bringing along her then-136-million-strong army of followers (now 207 million) that happened to be exactly Step’s target audience​. Her selfies featuring the Step card translated into hordes of new users, and Charli went on to reinvest in Step through its $100M series C, and even start her own venture firm (444 Capital).

Charli is actually far from the only celebrity running her own VC firm. Just to name a few, Serena Williams (Serena Ventures), Ashton Kutcher (Sound Ventures), Michael Jordan (Courtside Ventures) and The Chainsmokers (Mantis VC) also do.

Celebrities who invest in fintech companies and then promote them have become commonplace, and are not limited to financial products targeting a young audience. Just last week, NFL star Saquon Barkley starred in a Super Bowl TV ad to promote Ramp, a corporate spend management platform valued at 7.65 billions USD he recently invested in.

The celebrity-fintech love affair has actually been a very sport-centered phenomenon so far, with 40% of the investors in our ranking being pro athletes. The rest of the ranking is composed of actors or TV personalities (25%), social media creators (15%), musicians (15%) with the remaining 5% including one author and one motivational speaker. That said, you could argue that all the pro-athletes in our ranking are social media influencers, since in most cases, they make more money from monetizing their influence than from their pro-athletes salary.

Given the prevalence of pro athletes on our list, we were surprised that no highly paid European soccer players made the cut. In fact, a whopping 72.5% of our celebrity fintech investors in our ranking are from the United States, with Canada in second place (12.5%), and the United Kingdom (5%) in third place.

How We Ranked ’Em

Before we dive into who made our top 40 list, here’s how we ranked this star-studded lineup. We started by compiling over 100 celebrity fintech investors through press coverage and private deal databases. Next, we removed anyone who did not invest in at least two fintech companies and those whose fintech investments had gone bust at a rate of 50% or more (yep, that's why Tom Brady did not make the list). Finally, we tallied their total social media followings (across Instagram, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook & TikTok), ranked them by follower count and kept only the top 40. Yes, it’s an imperfect yardstick for influence, but it’s a reliably quantifiable one. The result? A colourful ranking highlighting the biggest celebrity power players in fintech.

1. Jimmy Donaldson

This Gen Z American influencer is practically the god of YouTube and patron saint to obnoxious pre-teens everywhere. With over 500 million social media followers and $700 million in annual income, MrBeast can turn any product into gold just by mentioning it to his audience. He takes two different approaches to business. While he promotes some fintech companies without taking equity (like when he pitched the personal finance app MoneyLion in Amazon Prime’s Beast Games), he's also eager to invest in promising fintech startups. MrBeast invested in Current, a neobank targeting teens and young adults, and ventured into crypto with investments in NFT platform Refinable (acquired by Artifact Labs) and crypto wallet company Bitsky (acquired by Phantom). Like MrBeast would conclude, it all comes down to this: while he is mostly known for his viral YouTube stunts and his Feastable chocolate bars, his true talent lies in turning teenage attention into serious business.

2. Will Smith

From “West Philidelphia, born and raised”, to a Hollywood legend, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is gettin’ jiggy with fintech. Known for box office hits like Men in Black and Independence Day, Big Willie has invested in 13 fintech ventures either directly or through Dreamers VC, the venture firm he co-founded with Japanese soccer superstar Keisuke Honda (#38 in this ranking). Will Smith’s portfolio includes many B2B fintechs, including business bank account provider Mercury and financial forecasts software Runaway. Smith also got banking and credit-building covered with Karat, Step and Brigit, blockchain with Dapper Labs and Ethos, real estate with Sundae and Withco and investing with Otis (although it was acquired by Public). Boasting over 270 million social media followers, four Grammys, and one Oscar, Will’s portfolio slaps harder than the 2022 Oscars.

3. Aubrey Drake Graham

From Degrassi teen star to rap royalty, Drake is best known for dominating the music charts and stacking five Grammys. This Canadian icon wields incredible influence with 144 million Instagram followers and another 120 million across YouTube, X, and Facebook. Out of the 16 venture investments he made so far, two are fintech companies: Wealthsimple, Canada’s most popular investing app, and MoonPay, a Miami-based cryptocurrency platform. Drake might’ve started from the bottom, but his portfolio is definitely here.

4. Charli D'Amelio

Millennial teenagers performed choreographed dances in musty gyms at school talent shows. Gen Z? They said “hold my Prime,” posted their dance moves online, and woke up with over 207 million followers and a $45 million net worth. No one did it better than Charli D’Amelio, America’s favourite dancing queen and the first TikTok creator to hit 100 million followers. Now she’s securing the bag with fintech investments in cypto-exchange Gemini, banking app Step and licensing platform SmarterLicense. She even set-up 444 Capital, a $25M fund, with with her sister and parents, who also happened to have accumulated millions of followers on TikTok. When she’s not dancing on Broadway, Charli is busting moves in the boardroom. Millennials really walked so Gen Z could Renegade their way to the top.

5. Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.

Snoop Dogg can drop it like it's hot in more ways than one. Famous for hits like Gin and Juice and movie cameos in Starsky & Hutch and Training Day, this American rap legend is also a serious fintech investor. He's backed major players like crypto payment platform MoonPay, Buy Now Pay Later lender Klarna, NFT publisher Yuga Labs (the company behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs), web3 platform Syndicate, and music NFT marketplace Sound. While we don't doubt the former gang member got paid handsomely for starring in Klarna's "Get Smoooth" TV ad campaign back in 2019, his secondary shares purchase is about to pay even more. Given the company's $2.5 billion valuation when the deal occurred, we're talking about a 600% return in 6 years, assuming Klarna's rumoured $15 billion valuation hold water in April, when the fintech is set to IPO. With over 194 million combined social media followers, a $160 million net worth, 17 Grammys, and an epic friendship with domestic goddess Martha Stewart, it's kinda smart bein' Snoop D-O-double-G.

6. Shawn Mendes

Once a Vine heartthrob, this Canadian pop star is stacking more than Junos and Grammys. Conquering the charts with smash hits like Stitches and Seniorita, Shawn has set his sights on fintech. With a penchant for blockchain, he’s backed MoonPay, Unblocked, and Dapper Labs. Boasting 152 million followers across social media, this northern songbird has quietly invested in nine fintechs. When he’s not busy building his portfolio, you’ll find him building a messy love triangle with Camila Cabello and Sabrina Carpenter. Love life? Complicated. Portfolio? Less complicated.

7. Gal Gadot

Meet the Israeli-born superstar who is every bit Wonder Woman in real life as she is on screen. Famous for her iconic roles in Fast and Furious and the DC Universe, Gal tossed her Lasso of Truth into the fintech space. Investing in crypto ventures like MoonPay, a crypto trading platform, and AdaSwap, a decentralized exchange on the Cardano network, she’s willing to fight for the future of finance. With 133 million social media fans hanging on her every move, Gal proves that not all heroes wear capes.

8. Ryan Reynolds

Canada’s snarkiest export is best known for reinventing himself as Marvel’s king of chaos. Long before his iconic Deadpool character, Ryan shot to stardom for his onscreen antics in movies like Van Wilder, Waiting, and The Proposal. Beyond the cutting quips, he’s also the savvy entrepreneur behind Mint Mobile and Aviation Gin. But when he’s not publicly trolling Blake Lively and Peleton, he’s backing major fintech platforms like Wealthsimple and Nuvei. Investing is fun, but turning brands into viral sensations is his love language. Ryan funds companies that he typically promotes through viral posts and low-cost videos produced by his ironically named firm Maximum Effort, like he did for Mint Mobile (that T-Mobile acquired for $1.35 billion) and Nuvei (that went private thanks to a $6.3 billion deal). Given Nuvei’s valuation of nearly $6 billion when Ryan first invested, it’s safe to say he did not make much money on this one. With over 100 million social media followers, Ryan’s success is best served with sarcasm and a katana.

9. Robert Downey Jr

His Stark wit and stunning performance as Iron Man helped launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a $30.8 billion serial box office hitter. Off-screen, this American actor has swapped his red suit for a heart of green, investing in the climate-conscious digital bank, Aspiration, that funds tree planting with every card swipe. He’s also thrown money into Aura, an AI-powered identity theft protection service, and Ethos, an online life insurance provider. Now that he’s conquered one of the most iconic career comebacks in Hollywood, he’s channelling that energy into fintech, no Arc Reactor required.

10. Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio launched himself from a 90s heartthrob to king of the world, mesmerizing movie-goers in films like Titanic, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Revenant (to name a few). He’s also infamous as one of Hollywood’s most Oscar-snubbed stars, racking up seven nominations and one win in 2016 (finally!). Behind the scenes, Leo has backed two fintech ventures. Aspiration, a climate friendly neobank, and Magnus, a “Shazam for art” app that identifies artists, artworks and art prices. If only Magnus could identify what Rose did with all that door space. Here’s hoping Leo’s fintech portfolio is actually unsinkable.

11. Stephen Curry

The word “gamechanger” is an overused cliche, unless it appears in the same sentence as Stephen Curry. This American basketball legend, known for his sharp shooting skills and quick release, led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA titles. Now he’s shooting his shot at four fintech investments focused on helping people save money with cashback cards, better credit scores, student financial aid, and travel deals. He’s backed ventures like Step, MOS, Super, and Kickoff. Curry's fintech influence extends to Penny Jar Capital, where he serves as a special advisor to the fintech & HR focused VC firm co-founded by his former business manager Bryant Barr. With 97 million followers across social media, Chef Curry’s fintech game is cooking.

12. Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton, great grand-daughter of the Hilton Hotels founder, turned her Simple Life fame into a $4 billion dollar business empire, showing haters she’s not just a nepo baby with a sex tape. With 19 investments, including six in fintech, this original influencer is fire in the boardroom. She’s invested in crypto and blockchain ventures like MoonPay, Origyn, Shibuya, Unite and CreatorDAO, as well as a money-saving discount app called Checkmate. From reality TV to 66 million followers and a $300 million net worth? That’s hot.

13. Bryce Hall

Swipe up for success? Bryce Hall already has. TikTok’s resident shit-disturber turned his previous Vine fame into a social media empire. Known for viral videos and a boxing match that shook YouTube, this American influencer is throwing cash into something uncharacteristically sophisticated. He’s invested in Lendtable, a platform that helps employees maximize their 401(k) benefits, and Price.com, the ultimate online shopping hack. Sure, he once threw a COVID party so lit it got his utilities shut off and he made headlines for unloading his bladder off a balcony - but even a broken clock gets to be right twice a day.

14. Kevin Durant

American baller, Kevin Durant, is an NBA icon and two-time Finals MVP known for his scoring finesse and Golden State Warriors championships. Now he’s betting big on that winning mindset. Through his family office 35V, Kevin have invested in over 100 start-ups, 14 of which are fintechs. He’s all in on blockchain with OpenSea and Dapper Labs, while also backing corporate spend management platform Jeeves, neobank for Black people Kinly (acquired by Greenwood), financial planning app Grove (acquired by Wealthfront) and savings app Acorns, just to name a few. Given the size and success of his fintech portfolio, it’s fair to say the Slim Reaper has one killer portfolio.

15. Alex Pall and Drew Taggart

The Chainsmokers are the DJ dream team behind massive EDM hits, including Closer, which became one of Spotify’s first billion-stream tracks. Now the dynamic duo are pulling closer to a hit portfolio. The pair co-founded Mantis VC, investing over $110 million from backers like Mark Cuban into nearly 200 startups across fintech, healthcare, and more. They’ve backed personal finance, investing, and business data apps like Step, Pluang, and Rutter. On the blockchain front, they’ve invested in Royal.io to protect artist ownership, and YellowHeart for Web3 ticketing. And their X1 no-fee credit card investment was acquired by Robinhood. Looks like investing is the new encore. With over 46 million followers and an $80 million net worth, can they finally afford that Rover?

16. Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher has come a long way from That '70s Show... With 38 million social media followers, Ashton has parlayed his star power into 15 fintech investments. Mentored by Silicon Valley super angel legend Ron Conway, himself an early investor in Zenefits and Airbnb, Kutcher learned what he knows from the best in the business. The key to the success of his first fund, A-Grade Investments, was to invest in B2C companies he could help grow with his social media presence. In 2015, he entered the big league by setting up Sound Ventures, a VC firm that went on to accumulate one billion in assets under management across multiple funds. While many fintech investors stick to one vertical of fintech, Kutcher's fintech portfolio is highly diversified, ranging across crypto (OpenSea & MoonPay), wealth (Acorns, Robinhood & Titan), insurance (Lemonade & Root Insurance) and payments (Affirm). What most of his fintech investments have in common, however, is that they are consumer facing. Ashton knows what his strengths are and given his track record as an investor, he's proven to be one of the least likely celebrity investors to get punk'd.

17. Serena Williams

Queen of the court, Serena Williams was the HBIC who dominated women’s tennis for 319 weeks with the world No. 1 ranking. She’s won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles (with sister Venus), and 4 Olympic gold medals. Now, one of the greatest athletes of all time is swinging money at fintech. She’s backed Hello Alice, Shares, and Bitski (acquired by Phantom). Hello Alice connects small business owners with funding and resources, Shares is a community-based investment platform, and Bitski offers digital wallets for Eth-based assets. Despite retiring from tennis, she won’t relax. There’s so much more for her, like launching her own venture capital fund, Serena Ventures, that caters to women and minority founders.

18. Josh Richards

Josh Richards could teach a masterclass on turning likes into loot. This Canadian influencer built a digital empire one TikTok at a time, captivating over 25 million followers with skits, dances, and that generation-defining Gen Z wit. He’s even landed minor roles in movies like Brother's Keeper, Summertime Dropouts, and the Nick Cage-led Dream Scenario. But his real flex? Investing in Lolli, which turns shopping into Bitcoin rewards, Karat, a banking platform for creators, and Price.com, a cash-back site similar to Rakuten. Ranked TikTok’s fourth-highest earner by Forbes in 2022, Josh is hip-rolling all the way to the bank.

19. Michael Jordan

Now that America’s best basketball player retired from switch-handed layups, he’s got a real jam goin' down with fintech. After 6 NBA championships, an iconic role in Space Jam, and a $3.5 billion net worth, His Airness flew like an eagle from the court to crypto. He’s backed Dapper Labs, the blockchain company behind NBA Top Shot, and Metaplex, an NFT minting platform. Keeping it a bit traditional, he’s also invested in Vanilla, an AI-powered estate planning platform for financial advisors. If that wasn’t enough, Mike is making jump shots in venture capital too. He’s dunked money into Courtside Ventures, an investment fund focused on sports, media, and gaming startups. Because who better to bankroll the business of sports than the highest paid athlete of all time.

20. Shawn Corey Carter

Jay-Z boasts 14 No. 1 albums, 24 Grammys, and is one of the most decorated solo artists in history. The Empire State of Mind rapper has sold over 140 million records worldwide. Beyond hip hop, he’s the insatiable entrepreneur behind Roc Nation, 40/40 Club, and the luxury alcohol brand Ace of Spades (to name a few). In 2021, he sold his music streaming app Tidal to Block (formerly Square) for $300 million. But is he in fintech? For Shizzle. He dropped 100$ bills in fintechs such as blockchain venture Ethos, trading-app Robinhood and credit building credit cards provider Altro. Unlike most celebrities, Jay Z is a prolific investor and co-founder of MarcyPen Capital Partners, a $900 million venture capital firm that invests in consumer business across various industries, including fintech. Worth a cool $2.5 billion, his musical genius and sharp business acumen helped him become the first billionaire hip-hop artist. He might have 99 problems, but his portfolio ain’t one.

21. Tony Robbins

Watch your step. Tony Robbins is the American motivational speaker who’ll inspire you to walk through fire - literally. Best known for his sold-out seminars and best-selling books Awaken the Giant Within and Money: Master the Game, he’s turned his self-help success into 27 million social media followers and a $600 million net worth. Behind the scenes, he’s focused on manifesting fintech success with blockchain platforms like Zion and Boba Network. He’s also backed Blast, a failed app that was supposed to gamify saving money, but ended up burning through the $12M it raised. Plot twist! He’s a fin-fluencer too. Tony has published a series of personal finance books, the latest of which is The Holy Grail of Investing: The World's Greatest Investors Reveal Their Ultimate Strategies for Financial Freedom. Financial advisors have criticized the book for being a thinly veiled sales pitch meant to generate leads for his friend’s asset management firm, CAZ Investments. But that probably has nothing do with the fact Tony is a shareholder, right?

22. Maria Sharapova

If you didn’t have a poster of her in your bedroom, are you even a millennial? Maria Sharapova is one of the best tennis players of her generation and was the first Russian to achieve world No. 1 ranking. She owned the court with five Grand Slam titles, an Olympic silver medal, and 36 career trophies. Maria turned her winning net game into a $180 million fortune that includes two fintech investments. She’s forehanded cash into MoonPay, a cryptocurrency platform, and Public, an investing app. Game, set, match - Maria’s portfolio is on point.

23. Odell Beckham Jr

When he’s not shaming Nike on Insta, he’s catching investment opportunities in the boardroom. This American football wide receiver is famous for his epic on-handed touchdown catch that instantly became a viral sensation. Before helping the Rams win the Super Bowl in 2022, he was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. Off the field, his fintech highlight reel includes Kasheesh for smarter personal spending, Jeeves for corporate spend management, Affiniti for small biz cards, and Titan for managed portfolios. Throw in Myna for NFT plays and OBJ’s portfolio is in the end zone. With the Nike lawsuit behind him, what will he invest in next?

24. Chris Paul

CP3, Point God, Chris Paul - whatever you call him, this American basketball player will go down in history as one of the greatest point guards ever. A 12-time NBA All-Star, he’s racked up 11 All-NBA honours, led the league in assists five times and in steals six times. After the buzzer, he’s using those fast hands to make sharp financial decisions. Out of 29 investments, three are in fintech. He’s helping people building their credit with Altro and kids save more with the Goalsetter app. After dishing out all those financial assists, here’s hoping they’re all slam dunks.

25. Jared Leto

Hollywood pretty-boy, Jared Leto, is Up In The Air and everywhere. From starring opposite Claire Danes in the ’90s hit teen drama My So-Called Life, to Thirty Seconds to Mars front man, and Oscar-winning actor in Dallas Buyer’s Club, he’s the definition of versatile. And lest we forget his diabolical performance as The Joker in Suicide Squad. But he’s not joking around with fintech. Jared’s picks span employee benefits insurance with Zenefits (acquired by TriNet), investing with Robinhood & Titan, and banking with Step & Karat. Rumour has it he gifted Margot Robbie a dead rat; will his ROI return the favour?

26. Klay Thompson

They call him Captain Klay, but the Comeback Kid fits like a jersey. After missing two seasons with injuries, the American basketball player made a stunning return that helped the Warriors win their fourth NBA championship. Known for his record-breaking 37-point quarter and chill boat-life vibes, Klay drifted into the fintech space with two investments. He’s bet on blockchain tech like Dapper Labs, home of NBA Top Shot, and the real estate app Sundae. With his Space Jam: A New Legacy cameo behind him, let’s hop his portfolio isn’t a flop.

27. Carmelo Anthony

“Melo” to fans, Carmelo Anthony is a legend on the court, at home and abroad. The American basketball player is an Olympic record-holder, a 2013 scoring champ, ranks tenth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 28,289 points and earned 10 All-Star selections. Now he’s trying to score a winning portfolio with three fintech picks. He’s invested in Unicorn Auctions, a marketplace that connects liqueur connoisseurs with rare and valuable spirits, as well as personal finance and blockchain ventures Goalsetter and Eco. Looks like Melo’s crazy pivot foot is serving him well in fintech, too.

28. Mark Cuban

Best known as Shark Tank's hungriest shark, did you also know he’s a live-stream pioneer? Mark’s Broadcast.com made history in 1998 by live-streaming the Victoria's Secret fashion show, drawing millions of viewers with one of the first major events streamed online. He later sold it to Yahoo for $5.7 billion. Today, he’s best known as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team and Shark Tank's most fearless investor snapping up 20% of pitches. His fintech portfolio is bursting with 22 ventures, of which 17 are crypto and blockchain-related. OpenSea, CryptoSlam and Polygon are just a few of his picks. But maybe he should be known as the benevolent billionaire. Mark is a staunch fintech and crypto advocate committed to making financial wellness accessible and inclusive. He invested in Dave, a digital banking app that that went on to IPO on the NASDAQ. And he also accepts Dogecoin (DOGE) as payment for Dallas Mavericks’ tickets and merch.

29. Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones

He’s called himself Kid Wave, Esco, and Nasty Nas, but fans just call him NAS. Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones is the American hip-hop paragon behind bestselling albums Ilmatic, It Was Written, and King’s Disease. When he’s not spitting tracks, he’s investing in companies like Robinhood, Coinbase, Royal, and Loop. For the uninitiated, Royal is a blockchain platform helping content creators protect their work and Loop is a car insurance company catering to credit-challenged drivers. Nas’ New York state of Mind includes channeling his inner Icahn.

30. Griffin Johnson

Griffin Johnson is the American social media influencer who turned tomfoolery into a $2 million dollar nest egg. He became a TikTok fixture with viral pranks, comedy sketches, and lip-syncing videos that amassed nearly 10 million followers, with an additional 5 million across his other socials. Grif’s wit, riz, and relatability struck a chord with Gen Z’s absurdist sense of humour - and he’s putting that savvy to work offscreen, too. He’s invested in Toku, a global crypto payroll platform, Price.com, a money-saving shopping app, and Lendtable, which helps employees maximize 401(k) benefits. Turns out, the guy who pranked his way onto everyone's fyp is, like, super serious about fintech.

31. Ankur Warikoo

If winning at life was a sport, Ankur Warikoo would be the coach, captain, and MVP. He’s India’s favourite tech co-founder, best-selling author, investor, and adulting expert. In 2015, he co-founded the Nearbuy app, India’s version of Groupon, and later sold it to the tech unicorn Paytm. His books Do Epic Shit and Get Epic Shit Done became instant best-sellers. Ankur has invested in Kredmint, Vested Finance, INDMoney, and Wint Wealth. Thoss four fintech picks span loans, investments, and wealth management. Over 13 million social media followers and $15 million net worth? That’s epic shit.

32. Orlando Bloom

When he’s not throwing hands with The Biebs, Orlando Bloom is aiming at fintech with elvish precision.The British actor is best known for playing Legalos in The Lord of The Rings and Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribean, two of the most successful movie franchises in history. Adding to his stellar resume, Orlando has invested two fintechs. He launched some cash into Aspiration, the climate-conscious personal banking app, and Collectibles, a platform where collectors can organize and value their items. The Orc slayer is building one portfolio to rule them all.

33. Alex Rodriguez

Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez is the American baseball legend turned business mogul with a flair for fintech. Known for smashing 696 home runs and snagging three American League MVP awards, he’s earned his place as one of the all-time greats. He’ll also go down in history for his notorious 2014 doping suspension, the longest in MLB history. When he’s not in the FOX Sports broadcast booth, he’s slugging money at ventures like Nova Credit, Badge, Ranger, Acorns, and Tornado. His fintech investments span insurance, DIY investing, and personal finance. A-Rod’s new homerun strategy? Portfolio-enhancing deals.

34. Andy Murray

Scottish national treasure and king of the court, Andy Murray smashed his way into history as one of the “Big Four” alongside Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. This tennis titan ended the United Kingdom’s 77-year Wimbledon drought, won three Grand Slam titles, two Olympic golds, and was World No. 1 for 41 weeks. Off serve and onto investing, Andy’s backed fintechs like Revolut, Seedrs (acquired by Republic), Investly, and Landbay. Sadly, WeSwap and GoodBox couldn’t keep the rally and folded. Despite over 10 million social media followers and a $100 million dollar net worth, Andy can’t win em’ all.

35. Kevin O'Leary

Self-proclaimed “Mr.Wonderful” is the sharp-tongued Canadian entrepreneur who turned pitching into a bloodsport on Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank. Before he was ruthlessly roasting hopefuls on TV, he co-founded SoftKey and sold it to Mattel for a cool $4.2 billion. Since then, he invested in WonderFi, the Canadian company that owns and operates Canada’s biggest crypto platform Bitbuy, and co-founded O'Shares ETFs. Out of his 85 investments, a few were total nothingburgers (lookin’ at you Bundil and FTX). Still, with fintech bets like Bitzero for green Bitcoin mining, Beanstox for automated investing, and StartEngine for equity crowdfunding, he’s got nerves of steel.

36. Venus Williams

If Serena is the Beyoncé of tennis, sister Venus is Jay Z. The American player is the other half of the dream team, considered two of the best tennis players in recent history. Venus has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, five Wimbledon championships, four Olympic gold medals, and two US opens. She also quietly earned a business degree without pausing her career. And if that’s not badass enough, she’s invested in three fintechs. Ellevest is an investment platform for women, Zamp is a sales tax solution for businesses, and Shares is a social investment app. Over 7 million social media followers and $95 million dollar net worth? Go on, Venus, brush your shoulders off.

37. Andre Iguodala

When sneakers and suits collide, Andre Iguodala runs the play. The American basketballer is best known for his four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors and his unforgettable 2015 NBA finals MVP win. The Olympic gold medalist is now a partner at Mosaic, a legit $200 million venture capital firm led by former Comcast Ventures chief Sam Landman and known for its investments in Brex and Coinbase. Andre also personally backed several fintech companies, including: Jeeves and Mercury, which aim to reinvent business banking; Step, which provides credit cards for teenagers; Dapper Labs, an NFT publisher; and Valora, a crypto wallet maker. With his $80 million net worth and nearly 5 million social media followers, Andre plays to win.

38. Keisuke Honda

Known for being the first Japanese player to score in three separate World Cup’s, Keisuke Honda is also the 2011 AFC Asian Cup hero and a Russian Premier League champ with CSKA Moscow. After hanging up his cleats, he launched X&KSK, a $100 million dollar venture capital fund in Japan to nurture the country’s underserved start-up scene. He also co-founded US-based Dreamers VC with his buddy Will Smith. His fintech investments include Mercury for business banking, ImaliPay for travel insurance API, Astar for blockchain, and Eco for personal finance. The ball might have stopped rolling, but Keisuke’s investment game just kicked off.

39. Saquon Barkley

Saquon Barkley is making moves that are impossible to ignore. The Philadelphia Eagles' running back helped his team secure a Super Bowl victory against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025. Inspired by "Zero to One," a book by PayPal co-founder and venture capitalist Peter Thiel, Barkley made his largest fintech investment to date in Ramp, a corporate spend management platform. He also starred in the company's first Super Bowl commercial... while he brought his team to victory. Barkley's fintech portfolio also includes Monad Labs, the company behind the smart contract focused blockchain Monad, and Sequin, a YC-backed fintech that launched a debit card offering discounts and rewards tailored to women.

40. Larry Fitzgerald

Some athletes retire and fade away… Larry Fitzgerald lit up his portfolio instead. The American football star spent 17 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, caught 1,432 passes, racked up an eye-popping 17,492 receiving yards, and was named to the league's All-Star team 11 times. Now he’s busy backing an impressive 9 fintech ventures. His investments include Mercury, Jeeves, and Creative Juice (acquired by Rho) for businesses, Alt and Commonwealth for alternative asset investing, and Step for personal finance. For blockchain and digital payment solutions, he’s got Valora, Eco, and Cloudwalk. After years of catching passes, Larry caught feelings for fintech.

This ranking was co-authored by Julien Brault & Heidi Unrau.