T1 leads esports investment ranking with nearly US$ 100 million raised
The South Korean organization T1 sits atop a new global ranking that measures the volume of publicly disclosed investment among the world’s leading esports entities. The survey was compiled by Minoru Toriyama, a professor of sports management at Osaka Seikei University and founder of the Esports Research Group, based on data from the CB Insights platform. The result reinforces what the market already sensed: money sees T1 as a top-tier asset.
The ranking’s numbers
T1 leads with approximately US$ 100 million in disclosed funding. The margin over second place is small: France’s Team Vitality recorded US$ 98.4 million, while 100 Thieves, the American organization that had Drake and Scooter Braun among its first investors, landed at US$ 97.5 million. The podium neatly sums up the sector’s current dynamic – three different regions, three distinct brand propositions.
From there, the gap widens. Cloud9 appears fourth with US$ 82.8 million, followed by Gen.G (US$ 59.4M) and Fnatic (US$ 55.4M). FaZe Clan, Team SoloMid, G2 Esports and Dignitas complete the top 10, all below the US$ 60 million barrier. The concentration of capital at the top reveals a clear hierarchy: those who reached global credibility first raised on a different scale.
Why T1’s position matters beyond the number
The Korean organization does not just lead the investment ranking. It is projected that in 2025 the company will surpass the mark of US$ 60 million in annual revenue – a level most esports organizations have not come close to reaching. In a sector that lived for years with chronic deficits and fragile business models, that changes the conversation.
Part of that appeal comes from League of Legends. T1’s team in the discipline is the most famous on the planet, sustained by the presence of Faker, considered the greatest player in the game’s history. But the organization expanded into other disciplines and built a media and entertainment operation that goes far beyond trophies. Investors are not buying sporting results – they are buying brand reach.
What the ranking reveals about the market
Toriyama’s methodology offers a measure of market confidence – how much external capital each brand managed to attract. This does not guarantee financial health or in-game performance, but it indicates who has more room to err and remain standing.
The geographic distribution of the podium is also a signal. South Korea, France and the United States at the top show that investment in esports is no longer a concentrated phenomenon. Capital now arrives from European funds, Asian media corporations and traditional North American sports investors. The market has matured enough to attract diverse sources – and that, on its own, is already a relevant structural shift.
