While most traders struggle to beat the market, these legendary investors achieved extraordinary success through unique strategies. Here are the traders who changed Wall Street forever.
1. Jesse Livermore (1877-1940)
Active: 1890s-1930s
Peak Net Worth: $100 million (≈$1.5B today)
Famous Trade: Shorted 1929 Crash, earning $100M in weeks
Livermore pioneered technical analysis and momentum trading. His book Reminiscences of a Stock Operator remains essential reading.
Source: "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" by Edwin Lefèvre
2. George Soros (1930-)
Active: 1960s-present
Net Worth: $6.7 billion
Famous Trade: "Broke the Bank of England" in 1992, earning $1B
Soros mastered reflexivity theory - betting against market irrationalities. His Quantum Fund averaged 30% annual returns for decades.
Source: The New York Times, Forbes
3. Paul Tudor Jones (1954-)
Active: 1980s-present
Net Worth: $7.5 billion
Famous Trade: Predicted 1987 Crash, returned 201% that year
Jones combined macro analysis with technicals. His Tudor Investment Corp. has averaged 24% annual returns since 1980.
Source: Institutional Investor
4. John Paulson (1955-)
Active: 1990s-present
Net Worth: $4.2 billion
Famous Trade: $15B profit from 2008 housing short
Paulson's greatest trade involved complex credit default swaps against subprime mortgages, immortalized in The Greatest Trade Ever.
Source: "The Greatest Trade Ever" by Gregory Zuckerman
5. Warren Buffett (1930-)
Active: 1950s-present
Net Worth: $118 billion
Famous Trade: $1B investment in Coca-Cola now worth $24B
The "Oracle of Omaha" built his fortune through value investing - buying undervalued companies with strong "moats". Berkshire Hathaway shares have gained 3,600,000% since 1965.
Source: Berkshire Hathaway Annual Reports
Key Lessons from These Traders
- Specialize in one strategy that fits your personality
- Risk management is more important than being right
- The biggest fortunes are made during market crises
- Document your trades and learn from mistakes
Trading Strategy Comparison
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