Without a doubt the greatest trader/speculator that ever lived is George Soros. His quantum fund returned to its investors an annualized average of over 30% for more than 30 years. He is also one of the world's most public intellectuals, and an important philanthropist. By 1995 he had correctly foreseen the present trend of governments drift toward authoritarianism, and explained why this was likely to occur. In 2003 he foresaw the problems with the prevailing view that "leaving financial markets to their own devices will assure optimum allocation of resources." He recognized years before the financial crisis of 2007-9 the defects in the prevailing belief -- still prevalent today in fact -- that markets tend toward equilibrium, that their natural tendency is toward optimum allocation of resources, and that government intervention stands in the way of this desirable natural tendency of markets. He has referred to this viewpoint as "market fundamentalism". It was the same market fundamentalism that led Alan Greenspan to do nothing to stop the mortgage underwriting abuses that led to the great recession. Here is what Paul Tudor Jones said of Soros in his forward to the first addition of Soros's classic "The Alchemy of Finance": Four hundred seventy-three million to one. Those are the odds against George Soros compiling the investment record he did as manager of the Quantum Fund from 1968 through 1993. Hi investing record is the most unimpeachable refutation of the random walk hypothesis ever!
#5 would be one of the Big Short guys. John Paulson shorted subprime mortgages just before the financial crisis hit and made $3-4 billion. But wait... Kyle Bass also made that same bet against mortgage-backed-securities and netted $3-4 billion. https://www.businessinsider.com/gre...l-energy-hedge-funds-natural-gas-positions-11
I think it's hard to pinpoint the greatest trader. My list is probably: 1. Ed Seykota (because his approach to TA resonated with me) 2. Marty Schwartz 3. Ed Thorpe (#3 because his edge is very specific and the best parts of his story aren't his trading life but rather his life in the casinos) 4. George Soros 5. Paul Tudor Jones George Soros is so wrapped up in political BS that it's often easy to forget he's probably one of the greatest traders in the last century. Additionally, I think Jesse Livermore deserves honorable mention. His story is incredible and despite ending his life penniless and via suicide he had a lot of great advice in his biography. Many of the legendary traders of his day died penniless - at least he had a good story.
What is the point of being called a great trader if that person loses it all and kills themself when penniless? What is the point of a good story if yer dead, and nobody gives a shit? For now, the trader I think that is best is destriero. He makes a lot of money, and from what I can tell is not a faker. He's gruff, he pisses people off, and he gets threatened with banishment. Know what? To me that is the sign of someone who is opening eyes, people are perking up to listen. People are giving a shit. Based on what I can glean from his attitude, his offer to B1S2 about the three bitcoins is real. That's a LOT of fucking money. And it would be fuckmonkey STUPID to not engage in the offer. Yes, I think dest is the best trader in the world right now. He nailed some crazy shit on TSLA options, with a hedge in some other company, and it all worked out. Mega profit. Prove him wrong, and I will retract my statements. *sniff*
Livermore wasnt penniless. He had something like 100 over million at his death. Compared to a billion plus he still loss 90% or more from his peak net worth but not exactly penniless.
https://2ndskiesforex.com/trading-s...m-jesse-livermore-the-worlds-greatest-trader/ It says he has 5 million left in assets when he died. Which is close to 100million in todays money. I read he bought lots of annuities in his early years too as an insurance if he got busto in the stock markets.