Bjørn Maaseide went to three Olympic Games as a beach volleyball player, and he never won an Olympic medal. Yet in September 2023, Norwegian business magazine Kapital listed him as Norway’s second-richest athlete, with an estimated fortune of NOK 1 billion, behind only Erling Haaland.
His money did not come from the sand. It came from gyms, and later from banking. This article separates what can be verified about his wealth from what can’t, because the gap between the two is larger than usual.
Bjørn Maaseide Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Bjørn Maaseide |
| Born | 7 March 1968, Stavanger, Norway |
| Age | 58 |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Height | 198 cm |
| Sport | Beach volleyball (also played indoor) |
| Olympics | 1996, 2000, 2004 |
| Main business | Gym chains (Sports Club, Elixia, SATS); investor; Kraft Bank shareholder |
| Net worth, Kapital (Sept 2023) | NOK 1 billion (latest estimate I could verify) |
| Net worth, 2026 | Not publicly confirmed |
All wealth figures are estimates. Maaseide has not published his finances.
How Much Is Bjørn Maaseide Worth in 2026?
Short answer: nobody has published a verified 2026 figure. The most recent estimate I could confirm is Kapital’s from September 2023.
Kapital: NOK 1 billion (2023)
Klar Tale’s report on Kapital’s annual list of Norway’s 400 richest put Maaseide at NOK 1 billion, second among athletes. Haaland was listed at NOK 1.8 billion and cross-country skier Bjørn Dæhlie at NOK 800 million.
I could not open Kapital’s own pages, which block automated access, and I found no 2024, 2025 or 2026 figure for Maaseide. Other Norwegian outlets, including Nettavisen and DN, have used the word “billionaire” in headlines about him, but I could not read those articles to check the figures.
For scale, NOK 1 billion is about USD 107 million at the 16 September 2026 rate of 9.35 kroner to the dollar. The 2023 dollar value would have been different.
What the public company data shows
Market data site MarketScreener lists two stakes in listed companies:
| Company | Stake | Valuation (31 Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| SATS ASA | 3.64% (7,262,647 shares) | About USD 35 million |
| Kraft Bank ASA | 12.64% (5,308,003 shares) | About USD 7 million |
Source: MarketScreener. Together that is about USD 42 million, roughly NOK 390 million at the September rate. That is a floor, not a total: it covers only two listed holdings, and says nothing about private companies, property, cash or debts.
Tax-list figures are not net worth
Older figures come from Norway’s public tax lists, and they swing wildly. Maaseide was listed with tax-assessed wealth of NOK 319 million in 2013 and zero in the 2015 lists. Aftenposten reported NOK 378.4 million in wealth and NOK 13.7 million in income for 2017, falling to NOK 28.6 million in the 2018 lists. Maaseide told Dagbladet it was “just some structural changes” in how his companies were owned.
The lesson: tax-assessed wealth depends on how assets are held and valued for tax purposes. It is not a market valuation, and it is a poor guide to what someone is actually worth.
Why no number should be treated as final
Kapital values people using market data and its own assumptions, and it updates annually. A fortune built on shareholdings moves with share prices. So any figure, including Kapital’s, is a snapshot. I found no Forbes estimate for Maaseide.
Biography: Age, Nationality and Early Life
Maaseide was born on 7 March 1968 in Stavanger, and he is 58. He is Norwegian. He stands 198 cm tall.
His sport started indoors. According to Store norske leksikon, he debuted for Hana VBK’s senior team in 1983, played professionally for Nice in France in 1988-89 and then took a US scholarship to UCLA. He earned his only indoor caps for Norway starting in 1992. His sister, Kathrine Maaseide, is also a professional beach volleyball player.
Career: From Indoor Hall to the Olympic Sand
From 1991, Maaseide teamed up with Jan Kvalheim. The pair became one of Europe’s best beach volleyball partnerships:
- European champions in 1994
- European silver in 1993, 1997 and 1998, and bronze in 1999
- Gold at the 1994 Goodwill Games
- Winners of the 1994-95 FIVB world series, according to SNL
He played at the Olympics in 1996, 2000 and 2004, finishing seventh in Atlanta and 17th in both Sydney and Athens. He returned to competition in 2007, did not qualify for Beijing 2008, and retired in 2009 at 41. His commitment also helped bring the 2009 Beach Volleyball World Championships to Stavanger.
The Business Career That Built His Fortune
Maaseide began building his business while still competing, which is why his story is different from most athlete-to-investor tales.
- 1996. He founded Maaseide Promotion, which promoted volleyball matches he played in.
- 2000. He bought the gym chain Sports Club, which merged with Elixia in 2007.
- The exit. SNL says Elixia was sold to the buyout fund Altor and that Maaseide earned roughly NOK 350 million. A DN topic page puts it at about NOK 360 million over two sales. The sources don’t agree on the exact figure, so treat “about NOK 350-360 million” as a range.
- SATS. Elixia merged with SATS, and Maaseide worked as its Norway chief for about two years. He still holds a stake and a board seat, per MarketScreener.
- Kraft Bank. DN reported that the former volleyball star was starting a bank. MarketScreener now lists him as a board member and 12.64% shareholder.
- Padel. In 2021 he co-founded the padel company Interpadel with Thor Hushovd and Jan Kvalheim.
Earnings from volleyball itself, endorsements and prize money are not documented in the sources I found, so I haven’t estimated them.
Lifestyle and Property
Verified lifestyle details are scarce. In 2013, DN reported that Maaseide paid NOK 19.5 million for a 1910 villa near Vågen in Stavanger and spent about NOK 12 million on renovation. I could not confirm whether he still owns it.
In autumn 2023, Maaseide moved to Switzerland, according to SNL. Finansavisen carried a story on the move, but I could not read it. DN has also run commentary on Norway’s exit tax in connection with the departure; the headlines suggest it was a public talking point, though I could not read the articles.
What Could Change the Picture
A large part of his value likely sits in shares, so SATS and Kraft Bank share prices matter more than any list. DN headlines also note that Kraft Finans, a related company, received criticism from Finanstilsynet in a report, though the page shows no date, and I haven’t verified its connection to his stake.
The next Kapital list, due around September 2027, would show whether the 2023 estimate was an accurate picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bjørn Maaseide’s net worth in 2026?
It is not publicly confirmed. The latest estimate I could verify is Kapital’s NOK 1 billion from September 2023. MarketScreener values two of his listed stakes at about USD 42 million combined.
Is Bjørn Maaseide a billionaire?
In Norwegian kroner, Kapital’s 2023 estimate put him at NOK 1 billion, and Norwegian headlines call him a billionaire. In US dollars, NOK 1 billion is about USD 107 million, so he would not be a dollar billionaire.
How did Bjørn Maaseide make his money?
Mainly from business, not volleyball: he bought the gym chain Sports Club in 2000, merged it with Elixia, and earned roughly NOK 350-360 million from the sales. He later held stakes in SATS and Kraft Bank.
How old is Bjørn Maaseide and what did he win?
He is 58, born in Stavanger on 7 March 1968. He won the 1994 European Championship and the 1994 Goodwill Games with Jan Kvalheim, and he played at three Olympics (1996, 2000, 2004).
Where does Bjørn Maaseide live?
He moved to Switzerland in autumn 2023, according to SNL.
The Bottom Line
Maaseide’s story is a reminder that the biggest athlete fortunes are often built after the career ends. His wealth rests on timing, with a gym chain sold at the right moment, and on the value of stakes that move with markets.
The honest summary: Kapital’s NOK 1 billion is the best-sourced number, it is three years old, and nobody outside Maaseide’s circle can say what he is worth today.
This article reflects information available on 12 October 2026. Net worth figures are estimates and are not confirmed by Bjørn Maaseide or his representatives.
Sources & References
- Klar Tale: Dette er de rikeste idrettsutøverne (Kapital’s NOK 1 billion estimate, 21 September 2023)
- MarketScreener: Bjørn Maaseide (SATS and Kraft Bank stakes, board positions, valuations as of 31 August 2026)
- Store norske leksikon: Bjørn Maaseide (biography, business career, Switzerland move)
- Wikipedia: Bjørn Maaseide (volleyball career, Olympic appearances)
- Aftenposten: Maaseides formue minket med 350 millioner (tax-list wealth, 2017-2018)
- Aftenbladet: Formuen til Bjørn Maaseide på 319 millioner forsvant (tax-list wealth, 2013 and 2015)
- DN: Bjørn Maaseide topic page (headlines on exits, SATS, Kraft Bank; undated)
- DN: Maaseide satte ny prisrekord i Stavanger (villa purchase, 2013)
- Nettavisen: Bjørn Maaseide er Norges rikeste eks-idrettsutøver (headline only; article not opened)
- Pound Sterling Live: USD to NOK 2026 (exchange rate)
- DN: Tidligere volleyballstjerne starter bank (headline only; article not opened)
