From the Vatican to modern religious movements, these religious organizations have collected some of the largest fortunes in the world.
A growing property empire
Estimated value – $2 billion
The Church of Scientology has amassed a large real estate portfolio, especially within the United States. Assets include churches, offices, training facilities, and large buildings in Los Angeles, California, and Clearwater, Florida.
Scientology-linked real estate and other holdings have recently been estimated to be worth over $1.7 billion, but determining an exact figure is hard due to its multiple spin-off organizations.
A global Catholic network
Estimated value – $3 billion
Opus Dei is a Catholic institution established in Spain in 1928. It is present in many countries around the world. They have schools, universities, training centers, and various projects around the world. Some own expensive buildings and land.
Many have heard that Opus Dei is one of the richest entities in the world. Opus Dei itself does not own many of these things. Separate groups or people own them, which work with Opus Dei. Some sources claim Opus Dei has an estimated wealth of about $3 billion.
Built on Manhattan Real Estate
Estimated value – $6 billion
Trinity Church Wall Street is an Episcopal parish established in New York City in 1697. Trinity’s unique wealth began when it was granted a huge tract of land in Manhattan by Queen Anne in 1705. Since then, Trinity has parceled off parts of its original holding, but has kept and invested other prime real estate assets.
Over time, these helped create a massive endowment. Today, valued at roughly $6 billion, Trinity’s wealth is used to fund its ministry within the parish, community outreach, philanthropic grants, education, and other initiatives.
Forests and faith
Estimated value – $11.41 billion
The Church of Sweden is rich thanks to some unlikely assets: forests and farms. Over hundreds of years, the church accumulated farms and forests along with churches and financial investments. Though it ceased being Sweden’s state church in 2000, it is still among the nation’s biggest churches. It’s wealth is estimated to be around $11.41 billion.
An ancient English fortune
Estimated wealth -13.2 billion
Over the centuries, the Church of England has inherited property and investments. It is believed to have a net worth and endowment value between £10 billion and £13 billion.
That figure doesn’t include every cathedral, parish church, school, or property related to the broader Church of England. Centuries of history have allowed it to become one of Christianity’s wealthiest institutions by asset value.
Hospitals, schools, and churches
Estimated wealth – $15.6 billion
The Seventh-day Adventist Church doesn’t just have churches. Adventists around the world operate schools, universities, hospitals, and clinics, publishing enterprises, and other organizations. Some of these groups own extremely valuable real estate. According to 1998 data, it has an estimated $15.6 billion.
Charity on a huge scale
Estimated wealth – $19.4 billion
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and one of the world’s largest charitable organizations. It has facilities including shelters, rehab centers, offices, thrift stores, investment properties, and more all over the world. Salvation Army USA had around $19.4 billion USD in assets reported for 2025, but this isn’t a representation of their global organization.
A close-knit evangelical church
Estimated value – $22 billion to $79 billion
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) is an evangelical Christian denomination with congregations in Australia, England, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Some core beliefs of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church include a focus on family and a dedicated community surrounding faith, education, and family life.
The PBCC currently has around 55,000 members worldwide. The church has also been listed among some of the wealthiest churches in the world, with wealth ranging from an estimated $22 billion to $79 billion.
A historic religious presence
Estimated value – $23 billion
The Catholic Church of France historically dominated French religious and cultural life for centuries and has many dioceses, churches, and affiliated institutions. Financial resources are highly decentralized, although many well-known historic churches and cathedrals across France actually belong to the French state or city governments.
It does, however, own property, investments, and other financial resources that sustain its religious and charitable activities today. Its estimated net worth is around $23 billion dollars.
Australia’s property empire
Estimated value – $23.25 billion
Churches, schools, hospitals, aged-care facilities, offices and swathes of land are owned collectively by Catholic organisations across Australia. Years of soaring property prices mean many of these assets are now highly valuable.
It’s estimated to have about $23.25 billion, but the Catholic Church in Australia is not made up of one business with one bank account. Dioceses, religious orders, schools, hospitals, and charities can all own property separately.
More than mosques
Estimated wealth – $26.25 billion
Muhammadiyah is a giant Islamic organization headquartered in Indonesia. Muhammadiyah’s wealth does not just come in liquid assets. They have tens of thousands of schools and universities, hospitals and clinics, mosques, and charitable associations. Muhammadiyah also owns vast expanses of land and property devoted to those institutions. As of 2023, it’s estimated to have about $26.25 billion.
A temple of extraordinary wealth
Estimated wealth – $31.11 billion
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams of India administers the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The temple receives millions of visiting pilgrims each year. Generations of devotees have given lakhs of cash, kilograms of gold, kilograms of jewelry, and other precious gifts to the temple.
In addition to precious gifts received, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams also has substantial bank deposits, investments, and real estate. It is often said to be one of the richest Hindu temple trusts globally.
Germany’s church tax
Estimated wealth – $47.24 to $265.62 billion USD
The Catholic Church of Germany gets billions of euros from Germany’s unique church tax system, where registered members pay taxes that fund their church. Catholic dioceses also own real estate, buildings, investments, schools, hospitals, and charities. Estimates of their total worth range as high as $265.62 billion, though others value it around $47.24 billion due to a lack of public information regarding the Church’s wealth.
A vast American fortune
Estimated wealth – $293 billion USD
The LDS Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormon Church) has built up an extremely large collection of investments, commercial holdings, farmland, real estate, and thousands of church properties. The church’s total worth is estimated to be about 293 billion.
Ensign Peak Advisors, its investment arm, recently received widespread attention after the church’s investment holdings were made public.
The Vatican Question
Estimated wealth – $10 billion to $30 billion USD
Many believe the Vatican to be the richest religion because of the treasures they house, from art to historic churches. However, it’s difficult to determine how wealthy (or not) the Vatican truly is. The Holy See, Vatican City, Vatican Bank, and various other entities all have their separate finances.
In 2025, the Vatican Bank stated that it held €5.9 billion in assets for its clients. This money does not belong to the Vatican itself, but to those whom the bank is serving. On top of that, much of what the Vatican possesses culturally (ie. art in the Vatican museums) is considered priceless and therefore not actually assets that can be sold as regular investments would be.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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