KISS’ Gene Simmons isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
Videos by American Songwriter
Whether he’s talking cryptocurrency investment, Putin, Twitter or Britney Spears, the 72-year-old Israel-born bassist and lead singer tells it like he sees it.
And that’s why many love him and his band of face-painted rock fiends, KISS.
Here, we will get into Simmons’ thoughts on many things and, of course, his net worth and career accomplishments. So, buckle up rock fans, here we go.
Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Gene Simmons is valued at approx. $400 million. The co-founder of KISS is something of a marketing genius, along with his band. Not only did the band sell over 100 million records and play to millions of fans during its still-going career, but the 50-year-old rock group, due to its signature black-and-white face paint and over-the-top shows, was able to market everything from toys to Halloween masks.
In total, the band has licensed upwards of 5,000 products, including pinball machines, lunch boxes, condoms and lighters. And Simmons, himself, owns tens of millions of dollars in real estate.
“Life is a business and I approach life the way a shark approaches life—they must keep moving or else they will drown,” said Simmons in a 2019 interview. “I’ll never stop hunting more money. I’ll never have enough…. I live to make more money. People who say that money is the root of all evil are morons. A lack of money is the root of all evil.”
Another source, Wealthy Gorilla lists Simmons net worth at $350 million. But what’s a few tens of millions of dollars amongst friends, right?
Cryptocurrency
According to Metal Head Zone, Simmons boasts 3 million shares of the cryptocurrency company, Invictus Capital. As such, his holdings are valued at around $4.5 million.
In fact, American Songwriter asked Simmons about his relationship with crypto currency about a year ago and this is what he told us:
American Songwriter: You’re also a man of many thoughts. What do you find yourself thinking about most often these days?
Gene Simmons: Cryptocurrency. Yeah, it’s a game-changer. I’m in it big. I’ve done very well. Governments, as you know now print money whenever they need it. So, inflation keeps getting bigger and bigger. The dollar used to be based on gold and you can lose a dollar. You can’t lose your crypto currency, unless, of course, you lose what’s called your ‘code wallet,’ or your password. Banks have nothing to say about it. Governments have nothing to say about it. The world is changing. It’s probably time. Probably time to do that instead of keep cutting trees down and making paper so that we can give it to each other. But credit cards and wiring funds probably were the start of that.
AS: Where should I invest my in cryptocurrency?
GS: Well, it’s not fair, to ask somebody. You can ask me where I’m invested. But I’d never suggest something to you because in case the world goes upside down, I don’t want you to blame me.
AS: Let me ask, if I may, where do you have yours invested?
GS: I’m deep in Bitcoin and Asyrium. There are other ones—there’s Zcash, Litecoin. There are quite a few others.
Social Media And What’s Next?
Simmons remains active on social media. Today, he has nearly 1 million Twitter followers. And just recently, he shared his thoughts on “Fictosexualism.”
While his presence on the platform is prominent—indeed, he gains and gives a great deal of attention to the news of the day via his Twitter account—where Simmons continues to clean up is his live shows and his investments.
To wit, KISS, which was valued at $300 million in 2021, is set to go on a final tour this spring, summer and fall with many dates both abroad and in the United States.
So, while Simmons is certainly swimming in dough, the proverbial pool of cash is likely only to get bigger and bigger as the “shark” of commerce continues to move forward.
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