Indian-American entrepreneur Baiju Prafulkumar Bhatt has been named among the ten youngest billionaires in the United States, according to Forbes’ latest list of the 400 richest Americans. The 41-year-old co-founder of Robinhood is the only Indian-origin entrepreneur to feature in this category. Bhatt’s net worth is estimated at $6.9 billion.
Born to Gujarati immigrant parents, Bhatt grew up in Alabama and later moved to Virginia. His family faced financial struggles when his father, who was pursuing a PhD, was diagnosed with kidney failure. Bhatt revealed in an interview that his last visit to India was in 1997. He graduated in physics from Stanford University and completed a master’s degree in mathematics in 2008.
In 2013, Bhatt co-founded Robinhood with college friend Vlad Tenev. The fintech startup changed the investment landscape by offering commission-free stock trading, encouraging first-time investors and younger traders to participate in the market. Robinhood went public in 2021 with a $32 billion valuation. The company’s rapid growth, including a 400% stock surge and record $3 billion revenue in 2024, significantly boosted Bhatt’s wealth. Though he stepped down from executive roles in 2024, Bhatt continues to serve on the board and holds around 6% of the company’s shares.
Forbes listed Bhatt alongside well-known names like Mark Zuckerberg and Lukas Walton. Meanwhile, in a separate development, Tesla CEO Elon Musk reclaimed the title of the world’s richest person, shortly after Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison briefly overtook him following a $101 billion single-day surge in his net worth.
