Ilia Malinin is representing the USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and he’s already snagged a gold medal in the Men’s Figure Skating Freestyle, scoring 200.03. But, what is Ilia Malinin’s net worth, and what does he get paid for winning medals at the Olympics?
Malinin, of course, is known as the “Quad God.” As it turns out, at 21 years old, he already has a sizable net worth, and it’s also interesting to see what he makes with each medal victory. So, let’s get into Ilia Malinin’s net worth and what’s at stake at the 2026 Winter Games.
Ilia Malinin Net Worth: Here’s What the Skater Is Worth at the 2026 Winter Olympics
According to research from Celebrity Net Worth, Malinin is worth an approximate $1 million. “Ilia Malinin has become one of the most consequential figures in the history of men’s figure skating, not only because of what he wins, but because of how completely he has altered the sport’s ceiling,” they note.
But, Forbes has a slightly different figure, with the publication stating that his net worth is $700,000. The funds largely come from endorsement deals.
“Malinin has been building up his endorsement portfolio since claiming gold at the 2024 world championships—his partners now include Coca-Cola, Samsung and Honda—and as he takes the ice on Saturday in the team figure skating event, he is poised for a star turn in Milan that could catapult him into a new marketing stratosphere,” Forbes notes in their research.
“Ilia Malinin, a 21-year-old American whose parents skated for Uzbekistan at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics,” Forbes notes, “is the first skater with seven quadruple jumps in a program and the only one to have landed a quadruple axel.”
What Does Ilia Malinin Get Paid for Winning Medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
While it’s a bit murky if Malinin is worth $700,000 or $1 million, what is more clear is what he makes for getting medals at the Games. His net worth income comes from a blend of prize money, brand and corporate sponsors and exhibition performances. But, he also gets paid for getting medals, albeit not as much as one might expect.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, every other major world power gives retirement stipends, pensions or grants to its Olympians, but not the U.S. Instead, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee receives no federal funding and relies on other payment sources for its athletes.
The USOPC, they stated on their official website, gave $16 million in grants for stipends of 1,565 athletes in 2022. With their “Operation Gold,” an initiative started in 2017, U.S. Olympians who get medals win prize payments
Going by the Paris numbers, if Malinin, or any other U.S. Olympian, wins gold, they get $37,500 for every gold medal. For a silver medal, athletes get $22,500, and for a bronze medal, it’s $15,000.
“I feel really happy,” he said, according to the official NBC Olympics website. “I’m so glad to be here. You know, this Olympic moment and this Olympic experience was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me, so just being able to go out here is what I’m just grateful for.”
He added, “I’m trying to enjoy every single moment. There are a lot of unexpected things that happen in life.”
Ilia Malinin Net Worth: How Much Does He Make?