Thanks to a photo with his arch-rival Bill Gates, Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux universe, has returned to the spotlight. But how much does he earn today?
For decades, they have been symbols of two irreconcilable worlds: Linus Torvalds, father of the Linux kernel and champion of open source, and Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and historic face of proprietary software. Yet, in a scene no one would have imagined in the 1990s, the two were photographed together for the first time (June 2025) at a dinner hosted by Mark Russinovich, CTO of Microsoft Azure. The photo, posted on LinkedIn, quickly went viral.
The meeting marks a symbolic turning point: a truce between two opposing ideological visions that have fueled the historic Windows vs. Linux rivalry. Torvalds, famous for his cutting criticism (his "Windows is crap," famously), and Gates, a symbol of commercial software, had never met before (at least not in the public eye). Yet, this time, there were no sparks: the conversation focused primarily on philanthropy and nuclear energy, rather than operating systems.
Meanwhile, the world has changed: Microsoft joined the Linux Foundation in 2016, integrated the Linux kernel into Windows via WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), and made open source a cornerstone of its cloud strategy. The photo was interpreted by many as the end of a computer cold war.
But while we now know everything about Gates - especially his net worth - Linus Torvalds, the man who wrote the rules of modern free software, is rarely talked about in Italy. Who is he and how much does he earn today? Why - despite his global influence - hasn’t he become a billionaire like other Silicon Valley figures? And what does the creator of Linux do today, more than thirty years after his first line of code? Let’s find out together in this complete guide.
Who is Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux
Linus Benedict Torvalds, born on December 28, 1969 in Helsinki, is an iconic name in the world of computing, being the creator of the Linux kernel, the beating heart of a wide range of open-source operating systems. Raised in a Swedish-Finnish family, he showed a strong passion for computers from an early age—first the Commodore VIC-20, then a Sinclair QL he modified himself, and finally the Intel-based PC he purchased in 1991. After graduating high school, he enrolled at the University of Helsinki, interrupting his studies to join the Finnish Navy, where he became a lieutenant second class.
In 1991, he launched the first version of Linux, initially as a personal project. On October 11, 1994, Linux1.0 was released, distributed under the GNU General Public License—a choice that contributed to the kernel’s rapid diffusion and worldwide success.
Linux today effectively powers the global digital infrastructure: supercomputers, servers, Android smartphones, space rovers, industrial infrastructure, cars, and smart appliances around the world.
But Torvalds didn’t stop at Linux: in 2005, he invented Git, a distributed versioning system that revolutionized software development, becoming the standard in the open-source world. He then created Subsurface, an application for archiving and managing underwater dives.
His approach to software is direct, pragmatic, and no-nonsense. Often called the "benevolent dictator for life," he personally oversees every change to the kernel—a role he exercises with rigor and authority.
How much does Linus Torvalds earn? The unexpected net worth
Despite not holding the title of CEO, Torvalds has a significant income. In addition to his annual salary of approximately $1.5–$1.6 million guaranteed by the Linux Foundation, his wealth comes from upfront compensation and stock options granted in the late 1990s by companies such as Red Hat and VA Linux.
In 1999, the IPO of these companies earned Torvalds an estimated $20 million in stock.
Although his stock holdings today aren’t as valuable as those of major tech moguls, his net worth remains estimated at around $50 million.
In 2018, a study found that, despite earning more than executives like Bezos, Torvalds earns significantly less in stock options than Big Tech CEOs. For example, he received "only a few million" shares, compared to hundreds of millions received by Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), or Sundar Pichai (Google). His earnings, while lower than those of the true tech giants, still place him among the highest-paid leaders in software, in the range of $1.5–$1.6 million in direct compensation annually, as anticipated.
Linus Torvalds and the IT Biggies: The Comparison Is Unforgiving
Let’s compare Torvalds with the tech giants according to the Forbes 2025 ranking:
| Position | Name | Estimated Net Worth (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $416 billion |
| 2 | Jeff Bezos | $233 billion |
| 3 | Mark Zuckerberg | $213 billion |
| 4 | Larry Ellison | $196 billion |
| 5 | Larry Page | $158 billion |
Torvalds, with his $50 million (though the figure isn’t very recent), appears far removed from these giants. His stock-equity compensation also demonstrates a chasm: while Musk, Pichai, Cook, Nadella, and Zuckerberg accumulate billions or hundreds of millions, Torvalds receives only a few million shares, a pittance compared to such figures.
In a certain sense, his choice not to pursue managerial roles or large-scale equity investments in commercial companies keeps him out of the race for the top spots. His position, while culturally and technically crucial, is less financially rewarding than that of Big Tech CEOs.
What does Linus Torvalds do today?
Today, Linus Torvalds lives between the United States and Finland, maintaining an active presence in the open-source software world. While he has reduced the time spent actually writing code, he retains complete control over the Linux kernel: he reviews patches, decides on mergers, participates in reviews, and maintains authority over every change.
He still contributes about 2% of the code annually, a high percentage considering the global volume of changes. The Linux Foundation continues to sponsor his work and invest in infrastructure, community, conferences, and industry collaborations.
Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: Linus Torvalds, chi è e quanto guadagna il creatore di Linux?
