2QUESTION 2 OF 3
Answer & explanation
The official answer, with Fermi’s reasoning step by step.
Answer & explanation
Official answer
1,750,000,000
US dollars
How to estimate it
Fermi’s official “Napkin math”
Starbucks is worldwide, so start with everyone, about 8 billion people. How many have money on a Starbucks card or in the app? Most people never go, so maybe 1 in 100. Call it $20 each.
- World population
- 8,000,000,000
- Have a balance
- ≈ 1 in 100
- Sitting on it
- × $20
- 8B ÷ 100 × $20
- ≈ $1.6 billion
Rounded assumptions may give a slightly different estimate. The official answer above is the game’s reference value.
Source calculation & reference
- Stored value cards and loyalty program balance, Sept 29, 2024
- $1,718.7 million
- Loaded onto cards and Stars earned in fiscal 2025
- + $15,245.8 million
- Spent, redeemed, written off as breakage, and currency moves
- - $15,212.8 million
- Balance at Sept 28, 2025
- ≈ $1.75 billion
Reference cited by Fermi: Starbucks Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (SEC filing), Note 11 Deferred Revenue: $1,751.7 million in stored value cards and loyalty program at September 28, 2025
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