Khaberni - The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, day by day confirms that the language of numbers in the world of billionaires does not always subject to the traditional logic of monthly salaries, despite being the third richest man in the world with a wealth estimated at $254 billion, official documents still reveal a "modest" number that piques curiosity in his annual salary slot, which has not changed for nearly three decades.
An "Amazon" proxy statement for the year 2026, submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, reveals that Jeff Bezos still receives the same salary he set for himself since 1998, which is $81,400 annually.
This figure, which may seem large to some, is actually less than the average salary of a construction worker in the United States, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor.
The document points out that Bezos explicitly requested not to receive any additional compensations and has never received annual cash bonuses exceeding this amount, reflecting a unique approach to personal rewards management within one of the largest companies in the world.
Philosophy of "Feeling Satisfied"
Bezos explains his asceticism in annual salary and stock-based compensations by already owning a significant share in the company.
In a previous interview during the "DealBook" summit of the New York Times, Bezos said: "I already own a significant amount of the company, and I never felt comfortable about getting more... How could I need more incentives? I would feel disgusted by that."
Bezos currently owns about 8% of "Amazon's" shares, making him the largest shareholder, and based on current stock prices, his stake is worth about $225 billion, which is the real driver of his wealth and not the monthly salaries.
Amazon Policy
This approach is not limited to Jeff Bezos alone but is part of "Amazon's" policy in executive salaries structuring, as the company relies on the "base salary," which does not exceed $365,000 for its top executives, including the current CEO Andy Jassy.
The company affirms that the aim of making cash salaries much lower than comparable companies is to "closely link total compensation to the long-term value for shareholders," relying primarily on stock-based compensations tied to the company’s performance in the market.
Taxes and Sideline Benefits
Despite the low salary, there are criticisms; previous reports by "ProPublica" indicated that tying most of Bezos’ wealth to stocks and assets has allowed him to pay lower tax rates compared to his real rate relative to regular employees.
On the other hand, Bezos enjoys benefits that compensate for this "modest" salary, as the company spent $1.6 million last year on his security and business travel expenses.
"Amazon" justifies these expenses as "reasonable and necessary" for the company's interest, especially given that its founder has never received any equity-based compensations throughout his career.
