A sharp rise in wealth has pushed entrepreneur Ankur Jain into the spotlight this year. The New York-based founder of Bilt Rewards saw one of the biggest jumps on the Hurun Global Rich List 2026 released on Friday, March 6. According to the ranking, Ankur’s net worth increased by about 217 per cent in just one year. The surge placed him among the biggest wealth gainers on the list. Ankur’s growing fortune has been linked largely to the rapid rise of the rental rewards platform, Bilt Rewards, he founded.

A sharp rise in wealth has pushed entrepreneur Ankur Jain into the spotlight this year. The New York-based founder of Bilt Rewards saw one of the biggest jumps on the Hurun Global Rich List 2026 released on Friday, March 6. According to the ranking, Ankur’s net worth increased by about 217 per cent in just one year. The surge placed him among the biggest wealth gainers on the list. Ankur’s growing fortune has been linked largely to the rapid rise of the rental rewards platform, Bilt Rewards, he founded.

The Hurun list’s wealth list mentions that his overall wealth has more than tripled within that period. The strong growth of Bilt Rewards and investor backing have been key factors behind the surge. The company has been attracting attention for building a rewards program around rent payments. Data from the Forbes real-time billionaire index currently places Ankur’s net worth at roughly $3.4 billion. The company he founded focuses on turning rent payments into reward points. In the US, rent is often the biggest monthly expense for many households.

The Hurun list’s wealth list mentions that his overall wealth has more than tripled within that period. The strong growth of Bilt Rewards and investor backing have been key factors behind the surge. The company has been attracting attention for building a rewards program around rent payments. Data from the Forbes real-time billionaire index currently places Ankur’s net worth at roughly $3.4 billion. The company he founded focuses on turning rent payments into reward points. In the US, rent is often the biggest monthly expense for many households.

Ankur’s connection with entrepreneurship started early in life. He was born in Bellevue, Washington, to Indian immigrant parents who were involved in the technology industry. His father, Naveen Jain, worked at Microsoft before launching the internet company InfoSpace during the late 1990s. Ankur got married to WWE NXT wrestler Erika Hammond in 2024. The young entrepreneur spent much of his early years around offices and business conversations. When he was six years old, his father left Microsoft to focus fully on building InfoSpace. After school, Ankur would often head straight to the office where both his parents were working.

Ankur’s connection with entrepreneurship started early in life. He was born in Bellevue, Washington, to Indian immigrant parents who were involved in the technology industry. His father, Naveen Jain, worked at Microsoft before launching the internet company InfoSpace during the late 1990s. Ankur got married to WWE NXT wrestler Erika Hammond in 2024. The young entrepreneur spent much of his early years around offices and business conversations. When he was six years old, his father left Microsoft to focus fully on building InfoSpace. After school, Ankur would often head straight to the office where both his parents were working.

Ankur also got an unusual early look at the business world when InfoSpace was preparing to go public. During the company’s IPO roadshow in 1998, he briefly accompanied his father. “It was like a minute. They were having me explain the ability to search someone’s phone number in the white pages online,” Ankur told Forbes. Around the same time, he began exploring computers more seriously. Ankur started learning to code at the age of 10 and created his first website at 11.

Ankur also got an unusual early look at the business world when InfoSpace was preparing to go public. During the company’s IPO roadshow in 1998, he briefly accompanied his father. “It was like a minute. They were having me explain the ability to search someone’s phone number in the white pages online,” Ankur told Forbes. Around the same time, he began exploring computers more seriously. Ankur started learning to code at the age of 10 and created his first website at 11.

For higher education, Ankur went on to study at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated in 2011 but had already begun experimenting with entrepreneurship during college. In 2008, during his freshman year, he and several friends started an incubator called the Kairos Society. The initiative brought together students who wanted to build businesses and test ideas. “Most of it was a bunch of us building businesses together,” Ankur said. After completing his studies, he moved to Los Angeles and continued working on startup ventures.

For higher education, Ankur went on to study at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated in 2011 but had already begun experimenting with entrepreneurship during college. In 2008, during his freshman year, he and several friends started an incubator called the Kairos Society. The initiative brought together students who wanted to build businesses and test ideas. “Most of it was a bunch of us building businesses together,” Ankur said. After completing his studies, he moved to Los Angeles and continued working on startup ventures.

One of his first major startup projects was Humin which he co-founded in 2012. The app functioned as an address book that organised contacts using contextual information. It integrated contacts, calendars and social data to help people manage relationships more effectively. The idea attracted attention in the technology community. In 2015, Ankur was included in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. That same year, dating platform Tinder acquired Humin in what was widely described as an acqui-hire deal.

One of his first major startup projects was Humin which he co-founded in 2012. The app functioned as an address book that organised contacts using contextual information. It integrated contacts, calendars and social data to help people manage relationships more effectively. The idea attracted attention in the technology community. In 2015, Ankur was included in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list. That same year, dating platform Tinder acquired Humin in what was widely described as an acqui-hire deal.

Following the acquisition, Jain and his team joined Tinder. He worked there as Vice President of Product and gained experience inside a rapidly expanding tech company. In 2017, he decided to leave and start building companies again. Jain moved to New York and revived Kairos by turning it into a venture studio. The studio focused on startups tackling issues related to housing, healthcare and aging populations. One of the companies launched through the initiative was Rhino, a fintech platform designed to replace large apartment security deposits with a smaller monthly insurance payment. Startups connected to Kairos later reached a combined valuation of more than $6.5 billion. The initiative also partnered with President Barack Obama’s Start-up America Partnership.

Following the acquisition, Jain and his team joined Tinder. He worked there as Vice President of Product and gained experience inside a rapidly expanding tech company. In 2017, he decided to leave and start building companies again. Jain moved to New York and revived Kairos by turning it into a venture studio. The studio focused on startups tackling issues related to housing, healthcare and aging populations. One of the companies launched through the initiative was Rhino, a fintech platform designed to replace large apartment security deposits with a smaller monthly insurance payment. Startups connected to Kairos later reached a combined valuation of more than $6.5 billion. The initiative also partnered with President Barack Obama’s Start-up America Partnership.

The idea that eventually led to Bilt Rewards came from Jain’s observation about renting. Rent is often the largest expense for many people yet it usually provides no rewards or financial return. Millions of renters pay thousands of dollars every year without building equity. Ankur began exploring how that spending could be connected to a loyalty system. “That’s the problem Ankur Jain was hoping to solve with his startup, Bilt,” Ankur said. Instead of gaining ownership of the property, renters could at least earn rewards for their payments. “They earn the equivalent of frequent flier miles or American Express points,” he explained.

The idea that eventually led to Bilt Rewards came from Jain’s observation about renting. Rent is often the largest expense for many people yet it usually provides no rewards or financial return. Millions of renters pay thousands of dollars every year without building equity. Ankur began exploring how that spending could be connected to a loyalty system. “That’s the problem Ankur Jain was hoping to solve with his startup, Bilt,” Ankur said. Instead of gaining ownership of the property, renters could at least earn rewards for their payments. “They earn the equivalent of frequent flier miles or American Express points,” he explained.

The concept took shape further during a conversation with billionaire investor Barry Sternlicht, the founder of Starwood Capital. Ankur had been discussing hotel loyalty programs when Sternlicht explained how profitable those programs can be. “Then Barry explained to me that airlines and hotels make more profit from their loyalty programs than they do from operating hotels and flying planes,” he told Forbes. The insight showed how powerful reward systems can be in influencing consumer behaviour. “Delta makes $7 billion a year from their Amex Delta card. People are willing to adjust their spending behavior to earn those [Delta] miles. Delta gets paid for every mile and dollar issued. It’s a pretty amazing business model,” he said.

miles. Delta gets paid for every mile and dollar issued. It’s a pretty amazing business model,” he said.

Jain began building Bilt Rewards in 2019 and assembled a team that included former executives from American Express Membership Rewards and JetBlue. Early progress was slow because both property owners and merchants wanted confirmation that the other side was already involved. The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly helped speed up discussions as companies became more open to trying new partnerships. Property groups such as AvalonBay Communities, Related Companies and Equity Residential joined early. Merchant partners including SoulCycle and Lyft also became part of the network. With this, Bilt Rewards was officially launched in 2021.

Jain began building Bilt Rewards in 2019 and assembled a team that included former executives from American Express Membership Rewards and JetBlue. Early progress was slow because both property owners and merchants wanted confirmation that the other side was already involved. The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly helped speed up discussions as companies became more open to trying new partnerships. Property groups such as AvalonBay Communities, Related Companies and Equity Residential joined early. Merchant partners including SoulCycle and Lyft also became part of the network. With this, Bilt Rewards was officially launched in 2021.