Sean Parker (born December 3, 1979) is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for co-founding Napster and serving as the first president of Facebook.
He also co-founded Plaxo, Causes, Airtime.com, and Brigade, a platform for civic engagement. Parker is the founder and chairman of the Parker Foundation, which supports life sciences, global public health, and civic engagement. As of May 2025, Forbes estimates his net worth at $3.0 billion, ranking him among the world’s top 1,250 richest people.
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Sean Parker Net Worth
Sean Parker has a net worth of $3 billion. In April 2016, he donated $250 million to launch the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, funding over 300 scientists across 40 laboratories in six institutions. That year, the institute backed the first U.S. clinical trial using CRISPR to engineer cancer-fighting T-cells.
The trial is led by the University of Pennsylvania, with participation from the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Early life
Sean Parker was born in Herndon, Virginia, to Diane Parker, a TV advertising broker, and Bruce Parker, a U.S. government oceanographer and chief scientist at NOAA.
At age seven, his father taught him to program on an Atari 800. Bruce advised, “if you are going to take risks, take them early before you have a family.” In his teens, Parker enjoyed hacking and programming. At 16, after hacking a Fortune 500 network and losing access, the FBI traced him, resulting in community service since he was under 18.
Career
Sean Parker donates across U.S. party politics, favoring nonpartisan contributions to officials willing to work across the aisle. He supports Democrats and progressive causes like campaign finance reform and gun control, advocating higher taxes for the wealthy and increased capital-gains taxes.
Parker also backs moderate Republicans and super PACs focused on compromise. He supports cannabis law reform, donating $100,000 to California Proposition 19 (2010) and $400,000 to Proposition 63 (2016). He pledged $250 million to a cancer research institute.
Personal life
In 2011, Sean Parker became engaged to Alexandra Lenas, a singer-songwriter, and they married in 2013. They have a daughter and a son. Their wedding on June 1, 2013, in Big Sur, California, featured a Lord of the Rings–style theme. Though rumored to cost $10 million, Parker denied this estimate.
The event caused environmental concerns in the redwood forest, leading to a $2.5 million settlement and the creation of a beach-mapping app in cooperation with the Save the Redwoods League.
How much did Sean Parker get from Facebook?
Parker’s financial gains from Facebook are substantial, with reported earnings of $290 million annually and a significant ownership stake.
Conclusion
Sean Parker’s narrative is one of brilliance, timing, and a touch of controversy. From teenage hacker to tech titan, his contributions to our digital world are indelible. His journey illustrates the transformative power of technology and entrepreneurship.
FAQs about Sean Parker’s Net Worth
- What is Sean Parker’s current net worth? Sean Parker has a net worth of $3 billion
- Did Sean Parker’s wealth solely come from Facebook? No, while a significant portion of Parker’s wealth came from Facebook, he has also made profitable investments in other companies like Spotify and has earnings from various other ventures.
- Does Sean Parker still have a financial stake in Facebook? Yes, Parker has retained his ownership stake in Facebook since its early days.
- What role did Sean Parker play at Facebook? Sean Parker was the founding president of Facebook, where he played a pivotal role in its initial growth strategy and investment procurement.
- How has Sean Parker impacted the tech industry? Parker has had a profound impact on the tech industry by co-founding Napster, which revolutionized music sharing, and by contributing to the rise of Facebook, which has redefined social interaction on a global scale.
