Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian have a combined net worth of $189 million. Here's how they make and spend their money.

Advertisement
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian have a combined net worth of $189 million. Here's how they make and spend their money.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Advertisement

Narrator: In 2015, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian went on their first date, a six-hour walk through Paris before the French Open. At the time, it may have seemed strange: a tennis great and a tech guru taking a stroll through one of the most romantic cities in the world. But today, they're recognized as one of the richest and most famous couples in America, with an estimated combined net worth of $189 million. So here is how the power couple makes and spends their money.

When he was just 22, Ohanian cofounded the social-media platform Reddit with his friend Steve Huffman. In 2006, they reportedly sold it for at least $10 million. In 2014, Ohanian rejoined the company as an executive chairman. Today, his creation is the third-most-visited website in the US, valued at $3 billion.

He's also branched out from Reddit, cofounding Initialized Capital, a venture capital firm that manages $500 million in assets. He's also worked with Breadpig and Hipmunk. Ohanian paid tribute to his heritage with the 2018 launch of Shakmat, an Armenian brandy. In 2018, his net worth totaled $9 million, while Serena's net worth is an estimated $180 million.

Her financial success comes as no surprise. With the most Grand Slam titles of any player, Serena Williams dominates the sport. Throughout her career, she's won 72 titles, winning 796 matches and only losing 133. Tennis players make a lot of money when they win a tournament title. Just for reference, in 2018, US Open winners were awarded $3.8 million each. Serena's career prize money alone totals $88 million, which is $50 million more than any other professional women's tennis player. But she makes even more from sponsorship deals.

Advertisement

In 2004, she signed a five-year, $40 million endorsement deal with Nike, and she's since signed other deals for undisclosed amounts. Williams also has sponsorships with Gatorade, Beats by Dre, Aston Martin, Intel, Wilson, and more. Forbes estimates that she earns $18 million a year from her endorsements. And she's turned some of that money into other business opportunities. She and her sister Venus bought stakes in the Miami Dolphins and the UFC, and she even launched her own clothing line.

The couple's combined success allows them to lead opulent lives. They met in 2015 at the Rome Cavalieri Hotel, which houses Rome's only three-Michelin-star restaurant. A month later, they had their first date, that jaunt in Paris I told you about. After the date, Williams would go on to win the French Open to complete her 20th Grand Slam.

They kept their relationship quiet, but throughout 2016, Ohanian became a very outspoken tennis fan on Instagram. After a few months, he debuted on her Instagram, captioned as "the nerd." Then, he became a regular on her feed. At the end of 2016, Ohanian proposed at the Cavalieri where they first met. Her ring is reportedly worth more than $2 million.

In 2017, the couple welcomed their daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., into the world. And she's living the good life. She wears Burberry dresses, goes yachting, and even hangs out with tennis stars like Novak Djokovic. And at 3 months old, she became the youngest person to grace the cover of Vogue. The family lives in a $6.7 million home in Beverly Hills.

A month after their daughter was born, the couple tied the knot in a luxurious wedding in Louisiana. Serena wore $3.5 million worth of jewelry and changed designer dresses three times. Their guests included Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Kim Kardashian West, and many more. The power couple even had a carousel in the middle of the room.

Advertisement

For all of their opulence, the duo is very philanthropic. Williams started the Serena Williams Fund to promote equity for all people. She's also a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and has supported Colin Kaepernick's activism. Ohanian is outspoken about digital rights and was part of a group that donated $1.75 million to a nonprofit that teaches tech skills.

Since that walk in Paris, they've been extremely successful, but they know that family comes first.

Serena Williams: It was definitely hard, but it's also so fulfilling. I just feel like life is just better now, even though I've had so much success in my life. I just feel like it's just better now.

{{}}