Outdoing Trump’s Mar-a-Lago: Ken Griffin’s real estate portfolio, from a billion-dollar Palm Beach home, to NYC’s Billionaires’ Row and a mansion neighbouring Buckingham Palace

Nov 26 , 2023

Per Forbes, Citadel exec Ken Griffin has an estimated net worth of US$35 billion and is the 40th richest person as of writing. The billionaire has made several record-breaking purchases for expensive homes in Chicago, Manhattan and Palm Beach – and could one day be King Charles’ neighbour. Photos: Getty/Gold Coast Realty

Citadel exec Ken Griffin manages over US$60 billion and is the 36th richest person in the world – now he’s building the biggest estate in Florida, which will dwarf Donald Trump’s signature resort

The billionaire has made a habit of record-breaking property purchases, from his hometown of Chicago to buying Calvin Klein’s Hamptons escape – and he could soon be King Charles’ neighbour

While uber-wealthy types like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson are trying to make their mark in space, another billionaire is focusing on Earth instead – more specifically, the most expensive and outrageous properties on the planet.

Meet Ken Griffin, the businessman who founded and runs Citadel, a Miami-based hedge fund firm. Griffin manages over US$60 billion in assets through Citadel and Citadel Securities, which trades more stocks than any other company in the world.

Citadel’s Ken Griffin at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore in November 2022. Photo: Bloomberg

According to Bloomberg, 55-year-old Griffin is the 36th richest person in the world at the time of writing, with an estimated net worth of US$36 billion. After moving the headquarters of the company to Florida from Illinois in 2022, he is now officially the richest individual in the Sunshine State. And he is making sure his next home in Palm Beach proves exactly that ...

The billion-dollar estate in Palm Beach

Citadel founder Ken Griffin bought 27 acres of land on Palm Beach so that he could build a mega estate that rivals Trump’s Mar-a-Lago. Photo: Google Maps

After his big move to Florida, the billionaire snapped up 27 acres of prime Palm Beach land where he will be building a new mega estate. And when we say mega – the property will be worth US$1 billion upon completion, per New York Post. It will also be the biggest single property in Palm Beach, beating Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.

Billionaire Ken Griffin has dropped more than US$450 million on this mega estate in Palm Beach. Photo: Stoev Design Group

Griffin spent at least US$450 million and over a decade on securing this stretch in Palm Beach. He finally got approval in 2022 to go ahead with the oceanfront property on the northside part of the site – a mansion that will be home to him, his family and his mother, who is getting her very own pad on the property.

A penthouse on NYC’s Billionaires’ Row

Citadel founder Ken Griffin set a national record with the purchase of the US$238 million penthouse at 220 Central Park South in New York. Photo: Bloomberg