What is Faker Net Worth?
Lee Sang-hyeok, better known as Faker, has dominated League of Legends esports for over a decade. The T1 mid-laner turned professional gaming into a lucrative career through tournament victories, team salaries, brand partnerships, and content creation.
His financial success reflects his status as one of esports' most decorated players. With multiple World Championship titles and consistent top-tier performance, Faker's earnings come from several revenue streams that most professional gamers never reach.
Here, we break down how Faker built his wealth and which ventures contributed to his total net worth.
Also Read: How Many Times Has Faker Won Worlds?
Summary: What is Fakers' Net Worth?
Faker, the legendary League of Legends pro player, has built a $25-50 million net worth through a combination of salary, equity ownership, and smart investments.
Key points:
Salary: $7-8 million annually from T1, one of the highest in esports
Equity stake: Owns 6% of T1 (valued at $13.2 million in 2020, potentially worth $111.6 million by 2029)
Tournament winnings: ~$1.8-1.9 million from five World Championship titles (2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024)
Sponsorships: Major deals with Nike, Red Bull, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, and Razer
Streaming income: $1.2-1.8 million yearly from the SOOP platform
Real estate: Owns "Faker Tower," a 9-story building in downtown Seoul that generates rental income
Lifestyle: Lives frugally (spending under $200/month personally) and reinvests most earnings
What's Faker's Total Net Worth in 2025?
Faker's total net worth sits around $25 million as of early 2025, though some estimates push it closer to $50 million depending on how you calculate his private contracts and investment returns. The wide range comes from undisclosed sponsorship deals and the fluctuating value of his T1 equity stake.
His wealth accumulated over more than a decade of professional play. Tournament winnings laid the foundation early on, but his net worth exploded after signing equity deals with T1. Real estate investments, including the building called Faker Tower, add another layer to his portfolio.
At 29 years old, he's still competing at the highest level. His net worth could climb significantly higher if he extends his career another few years while T1's valuation continues growing. He's already cemented his status as one of the wealthiest esports athletes in history.
Also Read: How Much Money Has League of Legends Made? (All-Time Stats)
What is Faker's Salary?
Faker pulls down one of the biggest paychecks in the esports industry. His base salary with T1 sits between $7-8 million annually, though exact figures stay under wraps. Compare that to the average Korean League of Legends pro who makes around $300,000 per year.
Back in 2020, Faker signed a deal that made him a part-owner of T1, locking him in until 2029. That contract included stock options worth a 6% stake in the organization. With T1 valued at $220 million and pulling in $35.5 million in yearly revenue, those stock options dropped roughly $13.2 million into his net worth immediately, plus another $2.13 million yearly.
T1's revenue jumped 49.4% in 2023, then rocketed another 127.5% in 2024. If that growth holds steady, his equity stake could hit $111.6 million by the time he cashes out in 2029. Multiple Chinese organizations reportedly offered him over $20 million per year to jump ship, but he stayed put. The T1 equity deal pays off in the long term.
How much does Faker make from Prize Pools?
Faker's collected roughly $1.8-1.9 million in tournament prize money as of 2025. That includes five World Championship wins: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, and 2024. His 2024 Worlds victory alone added $450,000 to his earnings after T1 defeated Bilibili Gaming 3-2 in London.
His other championship runs at LCK and Mid-Season Invitational tournaments have consistently chipped in six-figure payouts. Prize money forms a smaller slice of his total income compared to salary and endorsements, but winning five Worlds titles over a decade adds up fast. He ranks among the top five highest-earning League of Legends players purely from competition winnings.
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Faker Sponsorships with Brands
Faker's brand deals bring in serious money, though most contract figures stay private. Nike, Red Bull, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, and Razer have all partnered with him or T1. Mercedes-Benz even gifted him a Mercedes-AMG luxury car worth around $120,000 at the time.
These mainstream brands chase him because his reach extends beyond gaming. Over 150 million people play League of Legends monthly, and most competitive fans know who he is. Gaming hardware companies like Razer and Samsung sponsor him because when viewers watch him dominate with their equipment, those products gain credibility.
He's also worked with smaller brands like Stealer and Secretlab. Given his status as the most decorated League of Legends player ever, these deals likely rank among the highest-paying sponsorships in esports history.
Faker's Income from Streaming & Donations
Faker streams on SOOP (formerly AfreecaTV), the major South Korean streaming platform. He signed an exclusive streaming deal with the platform and pulled more than 500,000 viewers while streaming since using it.
Between ad revenue, subscriber payments, and viewer donations through SOOP's virtual balloon system, it's estimated that streaming generates $1.2-1.8 million annually. That's a smaller amount compared to his salary or equity stakes, but still a solid revenue stream that requires minimal extra work beyond playing the game he already grinds daily.
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Faker's Equity from SKT T1
When SK Telecom T1 first formed, Faker bet early on the organization's future. His 2020 contract extension gave him approximately 6% equity in what's now T1 Entertainment & Sports, making him part-owner alongside being the star player.
That move mirrors Michael Jordan's stake in the Charlotte Hornets. Faker didn't just secure his playing career; he locked in ownership of a growing esports brand. His equity value keeps climbing as T1's revenue grows year over year. Win or lose on Summoner's Rift, Faker's already won big on the business side.
Faker Owns A Building?
On top of his equity stakes, Faker has invested his fortune into impressive real estate as well. He owns a building in downtown Seoul now known as Faker Tower. This building, located at 114-12 Hwagok-dong in Gangseo, is particularly meaningful because it sits in the neighborhood where Faker grew up. The building was completed in 1997 and reportedly cost around $8.3 million when Faker purchased it in 2020.
The property features nine above-ground floors and two basement levels, with medical offices and a café on the ground floor. The crowning penthouse reportedly serves as the headquarters for Faker's own business operations when he's not busy stacking trophies on the Rift.
The building has become such a landmark that it's actually listed as "Faker Tower" on Naver Maps, South Korea's primary mapping service. League of Legends fans traveling to Seoul often stop by to snap photos of the building, though spotting Faker himself there remains unlikely.
Along with property ownership comes rental income too, providing yet another revenue stream that diversifies his assets and builds his net worth over time. The rest of the building's floors are leased out to various tenants, including the medical facilities and cafes that occupy the lower levels. Just like his diverse champion pool, Faker has assembled a powerful financial portfolio, putting him in a league above most other esports athletes.
Why is Faker SO RICH?
Faker is considered by most as the single greatest esports athlete of all time in League of Legends. His skill level allows him to receive top dollar with every endeavor.
In a new industry like esports, Faker secured superstar status extremely early on. By dominating from his rookie year and becoming the face of LoL competitive gaming, he earned lucrative deals right from the start before others could.
Faker demonstrates not only exceptional skill at League of Legends and esports, but he also combines his gaming success with smart business skills. From ownership stakes in esports organizations to real estate purchases using his winnings, he made financial moves beyond championships to multiply his wealth over the long run.
Simply put, by cementing himself as an unprecedented winner, marketable celebrity, and shrewd investor all at once in a booming new industry, Faker secured the bag exponentially faster than anyone else around him.
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