Gukesh World Champion, Yet Misses Top Chess Earnings List; Carlsen Dominates 2025 Prizes

• Magnus Carlsen topped 2025 chess earnings with nearly $1.5 million, despite not being the World Champion, making him the only player to earn over seven figures.
• Current World Champion D Gukesh surprisingly failed to make the top earners list, highlighting that the title doesn't guarantee top prize money in modern chess.
• Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian, and Hikaru Nakamura formed a strong American trio, securing second, third, and fourth spots respectively in prize money.
• The year 2025 saw a significant increase in players earning over $100,000 (26 players vs. 17 in 2024), driven by major events and chess's debut at the Esports World Cup.
• Women's chess also saw progress, with a record five women players, including GM Ju Wenjun and GM Humpy Koneru, earning six-figure prize money.

Why It Matters: Being World Champion no longer guarantees top earnings in chess; financial success depends on diverse event performance.