There are several famous former traders who moved on to different careers, such as John Key (who served as the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand) and Jimmy Wales (founder of Wikipedia). However, this list is made up of traders famous for being traders. The lives of the world’s most famous traders are colored by both triumph and tragedy, with some exploits achieving mythological status within the industry.
1. Jesse Livermore
Jesse Lauriston Livermore (1877–1940) was an American trader famous for both colossal gains and losses in the market. He successfully shorted the 1929 market crash, building his fortune to $100 million. However, by 1934 he had lost his money and tragically took his own life in 1940.1
2. William Delbert Gann
WD Gann (1878–1955) was a trader who used market forecasting methods based on geometry, astrology, and ancient mathematics. His mysterious technical tools include Gann angles, Gann fans, and the Square of 9. As well as trading, Gann wrote a number of books and courses.
3. George Soros
Hungarian-born George Soros (born 1930) is the chair of Soros Fund Management, one of the most successful firms in the history of the hedge fund industry. He earned the moniker “The Man Who Broke the Bank of England” in 1992 after his short sale of $10 billion worth of pounds, yielding a tidy $1 billion profit.
