 "Magnus Carlsen returned from a long paternity break to compete in World Rapid and Blitz last month. Image: AFP")
Magnus Carlsen once again showed why he is still considered the biggest name in world chess, even after stepping away from the classical world championship title years ago. In 2025, the Norwegian superstar enjoyed another hugely successful year, both on the board and financially, finishing as the highest prize-money earner in the sport by a clear margin.
Carlsen capped off his year in style by winning the 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha, Qatar, completing his fifth Rapid-Blitz double. Carlsen earned a total of $1,455,276 (Rs 13 crore approx) in prize money from 16 events in 2025. His biggest single prize was $250,000, which he earned at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Check out the top-20 earners in chess in 2025
While Carlsen was the only player to cross the seven-figure mark, several others also enjoyed lucrative seasons. American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana finished second on the list with $889,598 (Rs 8 crore approx), helped by his victory at the Grand Chess Tour Finals. Levon Aronian followed with $751,881 thanks to his wins in Freestyle Grand Slam events, while Hikaru Nakamura earned $588,911 through strong performances in freestyle chess and the Esports World Cup.
Alireza Firouzja and Vincent Keymer both earned just over $450,000, while India’s Arjun Erigaisi finished among the top 10 with more than $430,000 in prize money. In total, 26 players crossed the $100,000 mark in 2025, a sharp rise compared to previous years.
| Rank | Player | Total Prize Money | Events Played | Best Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GM Magnus Carlsen | $1,455,276 | 16 | $250,000 |
| 2 | GM Fabiano Caruana | $889,598 | 19 | $150,000 |
| 3 | GM Levon Aronian | $751,881 | 15 | $200,000 |
| 4 | GM Hikaru Nakamura | $588,911 | 11 | $145,000 |
| 5 | GM Alireza Firouzja | $455,047 | 14 | $190,000 |
| 6 | GM Vincent Keymer | $452,439 | 10 | $200,000 |
| 7 | GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | $439,567 | 14 | $100,000 |
| 8 | GM Arjun Erigaisi | $431,214 | 16 | $115,000 |
| 9 | GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov | $361,811 | 16 | $85,000 |
| 10 | GM Javokhir Sindarov | $349,955 | 11 | $120,000 |
| 11 | GM Ju Wenjun | $342,203 | 4 | $300,000 |
| 12 | GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu | $317,122 | 14 | $77,667 |
| 13 | GM Tan Zhongyi | $281,480 | 7 | $200,000 |
| 14 | GM Hans Niemann | $234,994 | 6 | $140,000 |
| 15 | GM Anish Giri | $207,252 | 9 | $90,000 |
| 16 | GM Wesley So | $206,644 | 11 | $77,667 |
| 17 | GM Gukesh Dommaraju | $202,292 | 13 | $63,000 |
| 18 | GM Andrey Esipenko | $194,664 | 8 | $65,000 |
| 19 | GM Wei Yi | $173,867 | 5 | $85,000 |
| 20 | GM Anna Muzychuk | $166,143 | 8 | $69,222 |
Carlsen’s success at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships also came after moments of real pressure. In the blitz event, he was close to elimination after several mistakes and time troubles but stayed calm and eventually lifted the title by winning key games. His win over Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the final match earned him his 20th world title.