The Unseen Israeli Billionaire Behind Global Mobile Games

Dmitry Bukhman, a 41-year-old Israeli, is ranked among the world's five wealthiest Israelis with an estimated fortune of $13.6 billion. Despite his immense wealth, surpassing that of prominent Israeli businessmen, Bukhman remains largely unknown to the public due to his private company, infrequent interviews, and residence in London. His company, Playrix, co-founded with his elder brother Igor, is a mobile game developer responsible for popular titles like Gardenscapes, Homescapes, Fishdom, and Township. These games, characterized by simple, colorful gameplay, are free to download but generate billions through in-app purchases.

Dmitry and Igor Bukhman, who grew up in modest circumstances in Vologda, Russia, built their fortune from scratch. Their journey began in the early 2000s with simple online games, earning a mere $60 in their first month. By 2004, their venture had evolved into Playrix, initially a small office with ten employees. The company's significant growth surge came with the mobile gaming revolution and the shift to a free-to-play model with in-app purchases, a strategy that has led to over 2.3 billion game downloads and around 100 million monthly active players, generating approximately $2.6 billion in revenue in 2024.

The Bukhman brothers' connection to Israel stems from their Jewish heritage, leading them to immigrate under the Law of Return in 2016. While Playrix is headquartered in Ireland and the brothers now reside in London, they hold Israeli citizenship and have sought recognition as Israelis in global wealth rankings. Their business journey also includes a period of operating from Dublin, Ireland, before their move to London in 2020. The company faced scrutiny over misleading advertising in 2020 and navigated the complexities of the Russia-Ukraine war, leading to the closure of its Russian and Belarusian offices in 2022.

Beyond their gaming empire, the Bukhman family is also involved in philanthropy. Dmitry and his wife Daria established the Bukhman Philanthropies foundation, focusing on children's health, mental health, medical research, and literature. Notably, their foundation will sponsor the Booker International Prize for the next decade, with the award to be renamed the Bukhman International Booker Prize starting in 2027, reflecting a commitment to literature amidst a digital world.

Dmitry Bukhman's personal wealth is estimated at $13.6 billion, with his brother Igor holding a similar amount, bringing their combined net worth to approximately $27.2 billion. They are ranked behind Miriam Adelson and the the ranked Israeli brothers among Israelis but globally stand around the 231st position on the billionaires list. Unlike many tech entrepreneurs who sell their companies, the Bukhman brothers have maintained control of Playrix, which they built without significant external investment, funding its growth through its own revenues.