Ever wondered how a competitive coder from India ends up as a billionaire in Silicon Valley? It sounds like a movie script. Prasanna Sankar did exactly that. But honestly, the numbers you see floating around the internet for Prasanna Sankar net worth are often missing the real story. As of early 2026, his wealth is estimated at approximately $1.5 billion, though that figure is tied to a complex web of equity, secondary sales, and a new pivot into the world of crypto.
He isn't just "the Rippling guy." He's a math prodigy who became a founder, then a billionaire, and then—somewhat surprisingly—walked away from his biggest success to build a social network for the blockchain. It’s a wild trajectory.
The $13.5 Billion Engine: How Rippling Created the Fortune
You can't talk about Sankar’s money without talking about Rippling. In 2016, he teamed up with Parker Conrad. If you follow tech, you know Conrad had a messy exit from Zenefits. Sankar was the engineering muscle that made the "comeback kid" story possible.
Rippling didn't just grow; it exploded. By 2024, the company was valued at $13.5 billion. By May 2025, a Series G round of $450 million pushed that even further.
Here is where the math gets interesting:
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- Early reports suggested Sankar held a significant chunk of the company, with some estimates putting his stake near 9%.
- In the early days, rumors even circulated that Conrad gave him a massive 40% stake to jump on board, though dilution from massive funding rounds (Series A through G) naturally thinned that out.
- Forbes officially minted him a billionaire in 2022.
But here is the twist. Sankar actually left his role as CTO in 2020. Most founders cling to their seats until an IPO. He didn't. He chose to move on while the company was still a private "unicorn."
Divestment and the Crypto Pivot
Wait, if he left in 2020, does he still own the stock? This is what most people get wrong about Prasanna Sankar net worth. In an October 2025 interview, Sankar mentioned he had actually divested his shares over the years.
Selling shares in a private company through secondary markets is a classic "liquidity event." While he might not hold the same massive 9% stake today, those sales converted paper wealth into hard cash. He used that capital to launch 0xPPL, a decentralized social network.
Basically, he's playing a different game now. He isn't just sitting on a pile of HR software stock; he's an active angel investor with a portfolio of over 10 companies, including names like Aspora and Everstage.
The Real Numbers: A Breakdown of Assets
It is hard to pin down a exact cent-for-cent value for someone like Sankar because private equity is notoriously opaque. However, we can look at the pillars of his wealth:
- Rippling Liquidity: Estimates suggest he banked hundreds of millions through secondary share sales before fully divesting.
- Angel Portfolio: He’s a lead investor in Series B rounds (like Aspora’s $53M round in mid-2025). This suggests he has significant "dry powder" (cash ready to invest).
- 0xPPL Equity: As the founder of a Web3 "superapp," his net worth is now partially tied to the valuation of his new venture.
- Real Estate & Cash: While he keeps his personal life relatively quiet, legal filings from a public custody battle in 2025 revealed monthly support payments in the thousands and millions in settlement offers, confirming high levels of liquid cash.
Why He’s Different From Other Billionaires
Sankar was the number one ranked coder in India on TopCoder. He’s a "builder" first. Most people at his level of wealth are focused on wealth preservation. He seems more interested in building the "Google of Web3."
He’s even been open about the "boom and bust" nature of startups. Remember LikeALittle? Probably not. It was his early social media startup that went from Y Combinator darling to zero almost overnight. That failure is actually what led him to Zenefits, then Rippling, then a ten-figure bank account.
What This Means for You
Looking at the Prasanna Sankar net worth isn't just about celebrity worship. It's a case study in equity over salary.
- Skill is the floor: Being a top-tier engineer allowed him to name his price.
- The Power of Second Acts: He didn't stop after Rippling. He moved to Singapore and started over in a completely different sector (Crypto/Web3).
- Liquidity matters: Paper billions are great, but selling shares at the right time (secondary markets) is how you actually fund a life and new businesses.
If you’re looking to build your own path, the lesson here is simple: build something people need (like HR software that doesn't suck), get equity, and don't be afraid to walk away when you’re ready for the next challenge.
To get a better handle on your own financial trajectory, you should look into how secondary market sales work for startup employees, as that's often where the real wealth is realized long before an IPO. You might also want to track the growth of Web3 social platforms, as Sankar’s 0xPPL is currently one of the biggest bets in that space for 2026.