Billionaire Profile
Matthew Prince
Global Rank
#649

Image: TechCrunch | CC BY 2.0 | via Wikimedia Commons

Matthew Prince

CEO, Cybersecurity
UNITED STATES
Real-Time Net Worth
$6.365B
Estimated based on Cybersecurity stock value as of April 21, 2026
+1.63% (24h)
Age
51
Source
Cybersecurity
Industry
Technology
Citizenship
UNITED STATES

Biography

Matthew Prince is an American billionaire businessman and the co-founder, Executive Chairman, and CEO of Cloudflare, a leading cybersecurity company. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1974, Prince's career has spanned law, technology, and entrepreneurship. He co-founded Cloudflare in 2009, transforming it into a major player in web infrastructure and security. His leadership has been instrumental in protecting millions of websites from cyber threats, with a current net worth of $5.7 billion. Prince is known for his diverse background, including degrees from Trinity College, the University of Chicago Law School, and Harvard Business School.

Fact Checked
Verified by Editorial Team
Live Data
Updated 4/21/2026

Wealth Over Time

In-Depth Profile

Early Life and Education

Matthew Browning Prince was born on November 13, 1974, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and raised in Park City. Prince developed an early interest in computer science, graduating from Trinity College with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English Literature and minoring in computer science in 1996. He then earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 2000 and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2009.

Rise to Success

After graduating from law school, Prince taught cyberlaw at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. In 2003, inspired by the CAN-SPAM Act, he co-founded Unspam Technologies to develop spam-prevention software. This led to the creation of Project Honey Pot, an open-source project to track online abusers. Prince then co-founded Cloudflare in 2009 with Michelle Zatlyn and Lee Holloway. Under his leadership, Cloudflare has grown to serve over 40 million websites and went public in 2019.

Key Business Strategies

Cloudflare's success is rooted in its innovative approach to web security and performance. The company's freemium model, combining security and content delivery network (CDN) features, attracted a wide user base. Prince has focused on developing a global network of data centers to improve performance and security. Cloudflare's expansion into edge computing and AI has further solidified its market position.

Philanthropy

While specific details on Matthew Prince's philanthropic endeavors are limited in the search results, his and his wife, Tatiana, acquired *The Park Record* newspaper in Park City, Utah, intending to transform it into a non-profit entity and add Spanish-language coverage, reflecting a commitment to local community and media.

Career Milestones

1996

Graduated from Trinity College

Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and computer science.

2000

Graduated from University of Chicago Law School

Earned a Juris Doctor degree.

2003

Began teaching cyberlaw

Taught at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.

2009

Co-founded Cloudflare

Launched Cloudflare with Michelle Zatlyn and Lee Holloway.

2019

Cloudflare IPO

Took Cloudflare public on the New York Stock Exchange.

Philanthropy & Social Impact

Local Media

The Park Record Acquisition

Undisclosed

Acquired The Park Record newspaper in Park City, Utah with his wife, planning to convert it into a non-profit.

Business Philosophy & Leadership

Notable Quotes

"Cloudflare is a service that allows companies to understand who is visiting their site, and help them manage access."

Leadership Principles

Focus on Internet Security

Prioritizing the protection of websites from cyber threats and ensuring a secure online experience for users.

Innovation

Constantly seeking innovative solutions to improve web performance and security, as seen with Cloudflare Workers and AI integration.

Global Connectivity

Building a global network of data centers to provide services in over 300 cities across more than 100 countries.

Controversies & Challenges

2017

Termination of services to The Daily Stormer

Cloudflare terminated services for the neo-Nazi forum The Daily Stormer after public pressure.

2019

Criticism over providing services to 8chan

Cloudflare faced criticism for providing services to the far-right discussion and imageboard 8chan.

2022

Controversy over Kiwi Farms

Cloudflare was criticized for enabling deplatforming without due process when terminating services to Kiwi Farms.