Rich Dad Poor Dad author shocks fans with $1.2 billion debt

For years, Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has urged investors to avoid holding too much cash and instead accumulate assets including Bitcoin, gold, silver and real estate.

The 79-year-old personal finance author has also made some of crypto's most aggressive price calls, repeatedly arguing that Bitcoin could eventually reach seven figures as government debt and currency debasement erode purchasing power.

Now, Kiyosaki's own use of debt is drawing renewed attention after reports highlighted his claim that he is tied to roughly $1.2 billion in borrowing.

Kiyosaki disclosed the figure during a June 1 appearance on the Get Rich Education podcast.

"So, I'm a billion two in debt," Kiyosaki said, before warning listeners against simply copying his strategy.

Kiyosaki said he has studied debt since 1974 and argued that investors need financial education before using leverage.

The headline figure, however, does not represent $1.2 billion of personal unsecured debt.

Kim Kiyosaki, his former wife and longtime business partner, told Vanity Fair in an Aug. 26 profile that the debt is spread across real estate investments held with partners, including roughly 1,500 apartment units.

"We have a lot of apartment houses with our partners," she said. "So technically, yes, we have all this debt," adding that the borrowing is attached to real assets.

Vanity Fair estimated Kiyosaki's personal share could be roughly $30 million to $60 million, based on financial figures he provided.

The strategy reflects a central theme of Kiyosaki's investing philosophy – use borrowing to acquire assets that can generate income or appreciate rather than relying on cash savings.

He has applied similar thinking to crypto , consistently grouping Bitcoin with gold and silver as assets he believes can preserve wealth during inflation and monetary instability.

On March 17, for example, Kiyosaki urged followers to accumulate Bitcoin, gold, silver and Ether ahead of what he expects to be another major financial downturn.

His willingness to embrace leverage also comes with significant risk. Debt can amplify returns when assets appreciate, but higher borrowing costs, falling property values or weaker cash flow can magnify losses.

This story was originally published by TheStreet on Sep 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.