Faker
- Net worth $25 million
- Birthday May 7, 1996
- Status -
- Country South Korea
- Source(-s) of wealth Esports Player
How much is Faker Worth? Faker Net Worth in 2026
Faker’s net worth is estimated at $25 million as of October 2026. Faker, whose real name is Lee Sang-hyeok, is a South Korean League of Legends player who has won a record six world championships with T1. The biggest driver of the wealth is a long salary at the sport’s most famous team, topped up by a co-ownership stake in that team and a string of endorsement deals.
| Net worth | $25 million (estimate) |
|---|---|
| Estimated annual income | About $6 million a year (our estimate, from T1 salary, endorsements, streaming and ownership) |
| Born | May 7, 1996, Seoul, South Korea (age 30) |
| Country | South Korea |
| Known for | Six League of Legends world titles with T1 |
| Main income sources | T1 salary, co-ownership of T1 Entertainment & Sports, endorsements, streaming, tournament prizes |
How much is Faker worth in 2026?
We estimate Faker’s net worth at about $25 million. It is our estimate, because T1 has never published his contract. Public guesses range from about $10 million to $30 million, and a few sites go higher.
The anchor is salary. A figure of about $5 million for 2020 was cited around the time of the Olympic coverage, and about $6 million a year is the most quoted number since, traced back to a Korean report that called its own numbers rough. Over a career that began in 2013, even a lower average puts tens of millions of dollars through his accounts before tax.
On top of that sit endorsements with Nike, Razer and Red Bull, a co-ownership position in T1 since February 2020, and streaming income. In the 2022 offseason he reportedly turned down a Chinese team’s offer of about $20 million a year to stay. We place the figure in the upper-middle of the public range because a career this long at the top of the sport compounds.
How Faker built it
- Stayed at one team for a career. He signed a four-year extension at T1 running through 2029.
- Won more than anyone. He holds a record six League of Legends world titles.
- Took an ownership stake. He has co-owned T1 since February 2020 and endorses Nike, Razer and Red Bull.
Learn the wealth mindset behind Faker’s career in the Alux app.
Get the Alux appFaker in 2026: what they have been working on
- 2025: won the World Championship, beating KT Rolster 3-2 in the final, his sixth world title and a record.
- 2025: lost the Mid-Season Invitational final to Gen.G, 2-3.
- 2025: signed a four-year extension that keeps him at T1 through 2029; terms were not disclosed.
- 2023 to 2025: won three consecutive world championships, in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- 2023: launched a Razer Faker Edition DeathAdder V3 Pro mouse.
- Ongoing: works as a player-executive at T1, where he is also a co-owner.
How Faker makes money
- Salary: reported at roughly $5 million to $8 million a year. T1 and Faker have not confirmed it.
- Ownership: co-owner of T1 Entertainment & Sports since February 2020.
- Endorsements: Nike, Razer, Red Bull and others, plus Korean brands such as Bacchus and a Lotte ice cream line.
- Signature products: the 2023 Razer Faker Edition mouse.
- Streaming and content: income from live streams and videos outside matches.
- Prizes: tournament winnings, which are usually split with the team.
What Faker teaches (and what to take from it)
Faker’s value to a self-development reader is staying power. He debuted in 2013, won the title that year, and won again in 2025, twelve years later. Four ideas explain how.
- Practice the unglamorous parts. His record is the argument: long careers are built from repeated, ordinary work. Try this: pick one boring fundamental of your own work and do 20 focused minutes on it every day for a week.
- Adapt the style, keep the standard. The game changed many times during his career, and he changed his play with it. Start small: list one habit that worked five years ago and may no longer fit, and test a replacement.
- Choose loyalty to the right place. He stayed with T1 in 2017 on a reported $2.5 million three-year deal and in 2022 over a reported far larger offer. By Friday, write down what you value beyond pay in your current role, and check whether you are getting it.
- Treat a slump as data. From 2018 to 2022 he won no international title, then won three straight. To apply it, the next time a project stalls, write down three variables you control and change one.
Career timeline
- 1996: born in Seoul.
- 2013: debuts with SK Telecom T1 and wins the LCK title and the World Championship in his first year.
- 2015 and 2016: wins two more world titles.
- 2016 and 2017: wins two MSI titles.
- 2018 to 2022: wins four more LCK titles but no major international trophy.
- February 2020: renews with T1 for three years and becomes co-owner.
- 2023: wins his fourth world title.
- 2024: wins his fifth world title.
- 2025: wins his sixth world title and signs an extension through 2029.
Early life and background
Lee Sang-hyeok was born on May 7, 1996, in Seoul, South Korea. He joined the professional scene in 2013 at the age of 16 and was soon known by his in-game name, Faker.
In his first year with SK Telecom T1 he won the LCK title and the World Championship. The result made him one of the sport’s most recognizable faces, and it set the base for the contracts, endorsements and ownership that followed.
Faker net worth FAQ
What is Faker’s net worth?
We estimate Faker’s net worth at about $25 million as of October 2026. Public estimates run from roughly $10 million to $30 million.
How does Faker make money?
From his T1 salary, his co-ownership of T1, endorsement deals with brands such as Nike, Razer and Red Bull, and streaming.
How old is Faker?
Faker was born on May 7, 1996, so he is 30 as of October 2026.
What is Faker known for?
He is known as the greatest League of Legends player, with six world championships, a record.
How much does Faker earn from T1?
T1 has not published it. The most quoted figure is about $6 million a year, which comes from a single Korean report that called its own numbers rough.
How is Faker’s net worth estimated?
We combine a modeled salary over his career, his T1 ownership, reported endorsements and streaming, then discount for taxes and costs.
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How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
Last updated: October 2026.