The founder of the biggest hedge fund in the world was the highest-paid manager in the world last year. : Ray Dalio, the founder of the biggest hedge fund in the world, was the highest-paid hedge-fund manager in the world last year. According to Institutional Investor's annual Rich List, the Bridgewater Associates founder made $2 billion in 2018. That's up from $1.3 billion in 2017. Dalio earned about $5.5 million every day, Institutional Investor calculated. Dalio, who is one of the wealthiest people in the world, recently declared the increasing of wealth inequality a national emergency.