Who Is Peter Thiel? Age, Biography and Wiki
Peter Thiel, an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist, was born on October 11, 1967. As of 2025, he is 57 years old. Thiel is best known for co-founding PayPal, serving as its CEO, and transitioning into powerful roles that shaped the tech and investment sectors. His investments in Facebook and various startups have established him as a pivotal figure in Silicon Valley.
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 11, 1967 |
| Age | 57 Years |
| Birth Place | Frankfurt, West Germany |
| Horoscope | Libra |
| Country | Germany |
Popularity
Peter Thiel's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Peter Thiel's physical stats are not widely publicized, but reports suggest he stands around 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall and weighs approximately 180 pounds (82 kg). While he maintains a relatively private lifestyle concerning his body measurements, his public appearance is often marked by his professional attire suitable for high-stakes business environments.
Palantir's first backer was the Central Intelligence Agency's venture capital arm In-Q-Tel. The company steadily grew and in 2015 was valued at $20 billion, with Thiel being the company's largest shareholder.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Peter Thiel has traditionally kept his personal life under wraps. By 2025, he is reported to be in a committed relationship, although specific details about his boyfriend remain undisclosed. Thiel has previously been linked with various public figures but often chooses not to discuss his dating life extensively. He is known to value discretion in his private matters, impacting how much is publicly known about his family and relationships.
The family emigrated to the United States when Peter was one year old and lived in Cleveland, Ohio, where his father worked as a chemical engineer. Klaus worked for various mining companies, which created an itinerant upbringing for Thiel and his younger brother, Patrick Michael Thiel. Thiel's mother became a U.S. citizen, but his father did not. Thiel eventually became a U.S. citizen as well.
Net Worth and Salary
In 2025, Peter Thiel's net worth is estimated to be around $7 billion, a figure that highlights his success as an investor and entrepreneur. His wealth stems from his early investment in PayPal, followed by significant stakes in tech giants like Facebook and other startups in the technology and financial sectors. Thiel's financial acumen has further solidified his status among the elite investors in Silicon Valley.
Peter Andreas Thiel (born 11 October 1967) is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and political activist. A co-founder of PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and Founders Fund, he was the first outside investor in Facebook. According to Forbes, as of May 2025, Thiel's estimated net worth stood at US$20.8 billion, making him the 103rd-richest individual in the world.
Career, Business and Investments
Peter Thiel's career began with the co-founding of PayPal, which revolutionized online transactions. After its acquisition by eBay, Thiel turned his attention to venture capital and founded Founders Fund, where he actively invests in transformative tech companies. His portfolio spans various industries, proving his versatility and foresight as an investor. By 2025, Thiel has extended his influence further into spaces like artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
After graduating from Stanford, Thiel began his career as a clerk for Judge James Larry Edmondson, worked as a securities lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell, a speechwriter for former U.S. secretary of education William Bennett, and a derivatives trader at Credit Suisse.
He founded Thiel Capital Management in 1996 and co-founded PayPal with Max Levchin and Luke Nosek in 1998. He was the chief executive officer of PayPal until its sale to eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion.
Social Network
Thiel is active on several social media platforms, including Twitter and LinkedIn. Though he does not frequently engage in personal interactions, his posts typically reflect his views on technology, governance, and entrepreneurship, attracting a substantial following of business enthusiasts and budding entrepreneurs. His selective engagement further adds to his enigmatic persona in the public eye.
Following PayPal, Thiel founded Clarium Capital, a global macro hedge fund based in San Francisco. In 2003, he launched Palantir Technologies, a big data analysis company, and has been its chairman since its inception. In 2005, Thiel launched Founders Fund with PayPal partners Ken Howery and Luke Nosek.
Thiel became Facebook's first outside investor when he acquired a 10.2% stake in the company for $500,000 in August 2004. He sold the majority of his shares in Facebook for over $1 billion in 2012, and stepped down from the board of directors in 2022.
He co-founded Valar Ventures in 2010, co-founded Mithril Capital, was investment committee chair, in 2012, and was a part-time partner at Y Combinator from 2015 to 2017.
Education
Peter Thiel completed his undergraduate education at Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. He further pursued a law degree at Stanford Law School, graduating in 1992. His education has played a crucial role in shaping his business ideology and investment strategies, which continuously influence emerging leaders in the tech industry.
Before settling in Foster City, California, in 1977, the Thiel family lived in South Africa and South West Africa (modern-day Namibia). Peter changed elementary schools seven times.
He attended a German-language school in Swakopmund that required students to wear uniforms and utilized corporal punishment, such as striking students' hands with a ruler. He said this experience instilled a distaste for uniformity and regimentation later reflected in his support for individualism and libertarianism.
The German community in Swakopmund that Thiel grew up in was known at the time for its continued glorification of Nazism.
