Ingvar Kamprad
- Net worth $43.2 billion
- Birthday March 30, 1926
- Status Widowed
- Country Sweden
- Ethnicity Lebanese
- Source(-s) of wealth Businessman, Entrepreneur
How much is Ingvar Kamprad Worth? Ingvar Kamprad Net Worth in 2026
Ingvar Kamprad’s net worth at the time of his death was estimated at $43.2 billion, though estimates vary widely. He was a Swedish business magnate and the founder of IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer. Kamprad died on January 27, 2018, aged 91, and estimates of his wealth varied widely because IKEA is owned through foundations rather than directly by him.
| Net worth | $43.2 billion (estimated, at the time of death) |
|---|---|
| Estimated annual income | Mainly from IKEA through its foundation-based ownership structure |
| Born | March 30, 1926, Pjatteryd, Smaland, Sweden |
| Died | January 27, 2018, Almhult, Sweden (aged 91) |
| Country | Sweden |
| Occupations / sources of wealth | Businessman, founder of IKEA |
| Known for | Founding IKEA in 1943 |
How Ingvar Kamprad built it
- Founded IKEA in 1943. He started the company that became the world's largest furniture retailer.
- Began with mail order. IKEA's low-price flat-pack model traces back to his early mail-order days.
- Held the business through foundations. IKEA is owned via foundations, and he chaired Inter IKEA Holding until 2013.
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Get the Alux appWhat was Ingvar Kamprad’s net worth?
Ingvar Kamprad’s net worth was estimated at $43.2 billion at the time of his death in 2018. Estimates varied widely: IKEA is held through foundations and a complex structure, so he held little direct ownership, and published valuations of his fortune ranged from roughly $23 billion in 2010 to well above $50 billion in some later estimates. This is an approximation.
Legacy and estate
- After he left the board of Inter IKEA Holding in June 2013, his son Mathias Kamprad became chairman, succeeding Per Ludvigsson.
- Kamprad’s sons Peter, Jonas and Mathias continued in leadership and ownership roles linked to IKEA’s business.
- Estate: reportedly, half of his estate went to projects in Norrland, in northern Sweden, and the other half to his four children.
- IKEA remains one of the best-known retail brands in the world, with its low-price flat-pack furniture model unchanged in spirit from Kamprad’s early mail-order days.
How Ingvar Kamprad made money
- IKEA: the main source of his wealth, through the Stichting INGKA Foundation and INGKA Holding, the parent of IKEA stores.
- Inter IKEA Holding: the company he chaired until 2013, when he stepped down.
- Property: a villa in Switzerland, a country estate in Sweden and a vineyard in Provence, France (reported).
- Direct ownership: limited, because the foundation structure bars him and his family from benefiting from IKEA’s main funds, as documented in 2011.
Career timeline
- 1926: born in Pjatteryd, Smaland, and raised on the Elmtaryd farm.
- 1943: founds IKEA at age 17 at his uncle Ernst’s kitchen table, initially focused on mail order.
- 1948: adds furniture to the product range.
- 2010: estimated at about $23 billion in a major wealth ranking.
- 2011: documents show a foundation owns IKEA and that he is barred from its funds; he falls in the rankings.
- 2013: leaves the board of Inter IKEA Holding in June; son Mathias becomes chairman.
- 2018: dies on January 27 in Almhult, Sweden, aged 91.
Early life and background
Ingvar Feodor Kamprad was born in Pjatteryd, now part of Almhult Municipality in Sweden, to Frans Feodor Kamprad, a German immigrant, and Berta Linnea Matilda Nilsson. He grew up on the family farm, Elmtaryd.
As a boy he started his first business, buying matches in bulk from Stockholm and selling them to neighbors from his bicycle. He expanded into fish, Christmas decorations, seeds, ballpoint pens and pencils. At 17 his father gave him a cash reward for succeeding in school, which he used to start IKEA. The name combines his initials with the first letters of Elmtaryd and the nearby village Agunnaryd.
Ingvar Kamprad net worth FAQ
What was Ingvar Kamprad’s net worth when he died?
Ingvar Kamprad’s net worth was estimated at $43.2 billion at the time of his death in 2018. Estimates varied widely: IKEA is held through foundations and a complex structure, so he held little direct ownership, and published valuations of his fortune ranged from roughly $23 billion in 2010 to well above $50 billion in some later estimates.
How did Ingvar Kamprad make money?
Ingvar Kamprad built his wealth as the founder of IKEA, which is owned through the Stichting INGKA Foundation and INGKA Holding rather than directly by him.
When did Ingvar Kamprad die?
Ingvar Kamprad died on January 27, 2018 in Almhult, Sweden, at age 91.
Where is Ingvar Kamprad from?
He was born in Pjatteryd, now part of Almhult Municipality in Smaland, Sweden, on March 30, 1926.
What is Ingvar Kamprad remembered for?
He is remembered as the founder of IKEA, which he started in 1943 at age 17 and built into the world’s largest furniture retailer.
How is Ingvar Kamprad’s net worth estimated?
The figure is an estimate compiled from public reporting, company valuations and deal and earnings figures. It is approximate and can change as new information emerges.
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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.