Jeff Bezos’ most costly funding is a $500 million customized superyacht that is the biggest on the planet

But the fourth-richest man in the world spent even more on his superyacht—more than double, to be exact. He broke another record when he commissioned his superyacht, Koru, in 2018 from Dutch yacht builder Oceanco. (Oceanco is owned by another billionaire, Valve’s billionaire cofounder Gabe Newell, who received his own $500 million superyacht just last week.)

Bezos reportedly paid $500 million for his 417-foot-long vessel—and it’s currently the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International. The yacht is so big, The New York Times reported it was actually too large to be docked with other private yachts in Florida. Oceano has also commissioned yachts for other celebrities and business people including filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and Home Depot cofounder Arthur Blank.

Koru was first seen at sea in 2023, according to the SuperYacht Times when it took a trial run in the North Sea from the Netherlands. About two months later, Bezos and Sánchez were spotted sailing on it around Mallorca, Spain. Bezos even paid an extra $75 million for another yacht to support his superyacht: a vessel called Abeona that also has a helipad.

About Bezos’ superyacht

The Koru—which is undeniably massive—has a very classic look to it, reminiscent of (an albeit, very large) sailboat. Robb Report writer Howard Walker even said the ship would “never be described as sleek, or elegant even.”

Koru has more of a classical style, and was designed by Oceanco at Dykstra Naval Architecture. It has a towering navy-blue steel hull, white, two-level alumninum super structure, a huge canoe stern, and three gigantic masts. 

It has a “timeless, contemporary style, with natural wood tones complemented by a palette of warm neutrals and beautifully patterned textiles,” according to Oceanco. In terms of amenities, the Koru has three jacuzzis and a swimming pool as well as nine staterooms to accommodate 18 guests. It also features a movie theater, spa, sauna, massage room, sundeck, and gym. Bezos has hosted other celebrities and businesspeople like Leonardo DiCaprio, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Rupert Murdoch’s ex-wife Wendi Murdoch, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, and many more.

It looks quite different from, say, Bill Gates’ $645 million superyacht that has a much more modern look and feel. Plus, Gates’ superyacht was the first ever to be powered by hydrogen, adding to the exclusivity and price of the vessel. 

“With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts, [the Koru] reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV,” Robert B. MacKay, author of The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars, told The New York Times. “It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building—those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”