The top hedge-fund managers hauled in major paydays in 2018, according to Institutional Investor's annual "Rich List." These fund managers were big winners despite the fact that a majority of hedge funds lost money in 2018. The top nine earners are detailed below. Last year was a tough one for many hedge funds, with over 60% losing money, according to a report from Institutional Investor. Despite the difficult year, which included extreme volatility in the fourth quarter, some leading hedge-fund managers received some insane levels of compensation.