Taylor Swift net worth: How the Eras Tour superstar became a billionaire

Taylor Swift became a billionaire in 2023, with an estimated net worth of around $1.1 billion USD.

Taylor Swift’s globe-trotting Eras Tour has not only broken multiple records, but it has also helped her become a billionaire.

The American singer-songwriter began touring the world last May. In the year since, she has released multiple albums, been named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2023 and even been included in Forbes’ 2024 rich list as her net worth increases.

But what is Taylor Swift’s net worth and how did she reach billionaire status?

Taylor Swift net worth

Taylor Swift’s reported net worth is $1.1 billion USD.

The most famous newcomer to Forbes annual round up of billionaires, Swift is also the first musician to have become a billionaire solely because of her songs, albums and performances.

US singer Taylor Swift performs on stage during a concert as part of her Eras World Tour. Image: Getty

Unlike her billionaire musician peers, such as Rihanna, Swift hasn’t supplemented her income with an additional business or side hustle such as a beauty brand.

She even beats out the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, who is the first UK musician to achieve billionaire status according to the Sunday Times annual rich list - though they attribute £50 million of his wealth to his wife Nancy, who is the daughter of an American trucking tycoon.

How did Taylor Swift become a billionaire?

Swift’s status as a billionaire was achieved as a result of money earned from royalties, touring and her music catalogue as well as her real estate portfolio which is thought to be worth some $125 million.

She is estimated to have earned $500 million from music royalties and touring. Following the first leg of the Eras Tour, Swift is thought to have made $190 million after taxes and $35 million on top of that from The Eras Tour Concert Film, which quickly became the highest-grossing film of its kind.

Taylor Swift at the premiere of her Eras Tour concert film.

However, another factor in Taylor Swift becoming a billionaire is the increasing value of her music catalogue.

Re-recording albums has helped Taylor Swift increase her net worth

In 2019, Taylor Swift’s former record label sold the masters of Swift's first six albums to Scooter Braun, something which the star described as a “worst case scenario” on social media at the time.

She claimed that she was not given the opportunity to purchase the rights to her original recordings before they were sold to Braun, someone she accused of “incessant, manipulative bullying”.

Braun eventually sold the masters to Shamrock Holdings in 2020. However, as a result of the initial sale, Swift had no ownership over her first six albums and wouldn’t be entitled to any of the profits from her from her music being streamed or downloaded.

In order to reclaim her work and legacy, in 2019 Swift announced that she would be re-recording her early albums. Since then, she has released four “Taylor’s Version” albums - all of which add value to the star’s music catalogue.

It’s also worth noting that when Swift’s music is used in various media, it is now typically “Taylor’s Version” and not the original.