Share and Follow
Renowned rock climber Alex Honnold recently revealed he received a surprisingly modest payment for scaling one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world during a live broadcast on Netflix this past weekend.
Honnold, celebrated for his fearless ropeless climbs, captivated audiences once more as he ascended the towering 1,667-foot Taipei 101 in Taiwan on Sunday. His impressive climb, which lasted around 90 minutes, concluded with Honnold triumphantly waving to the crowd from the building’s pinnacle.
Reflecting on the moment, Honnold shared with the Associated Press, “I was trying to balance nicely, but it was an incredible position, offering a beautiful view of Taipei.”
-
Rock climber Alex Honnold, of the U.S., performs a free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, Jan. 25. 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) -
Rock climber Alex Honnold, of the U.S., center left, performs a free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, Jan. 25. 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) -
Rock climber Alex Honnold, of the U.S., raises his fist as he climbs on top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
Prior to the event, Honnold explained to The New York Times that his motivation to conquer Taipei 101 stemmed from a simple desire: the challenge itself. Securing permission to climb such iconic structures legally is rare, he noted, but Netflix’s offer made it possible. Despite this opportunity, Honnold mentioned the compensation was surprisingly low.
“When you compare it to mainstream sports, it’s embarrassingly small,” he admitted, contrasting his earnings with those of Major League Baseball players who sign contracts worth up to $170 million. “There are players few know about, yet they earn such astronomical figures.”
Honnold did not reveal his specific pay for the event. The New York Times, citing “two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement,” reported that he was paid somewhere in the “mid-six figures.”
He stressed, however, that he likely would have done the climb for free, if given the chance.
“If there was no TV program and the building gave me permission to go do the thing, I would do the thing because I know I can, and it’d be amazing,” Honnold told the Times.
“I’m not getting paid to climb the building. I’m getting paid for the spectacle,” he added. “I’m climbing the building for free.”
Honnold, 40, had made a name for himself in 2017 with a his ropeless ascent up Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan. The climb was the subject of the 2018 documentary “Free Solo,” which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards.
