Scott Wapner has built a reputation as one of financial television’s most direct interviewers, known for pushing activist investors and hedge fund managers past their talking points. As host of CNBC’s Fast Money Halftime Report, he anchors one of the network’s most closely watched midday programs. Here is what is actually confirmed about his life and career.
Background
Scott Wapner was born on February 13, 1969, in Laurel, Maryland. People search for his name because he hosts Fast Money Halftime Report, a CNBC program airing weekdays at noon Eastern that has become required viewing for professional traders looking for real-time analysis during the trading day. He is also a published author, having written about one of the most public feuds in Wall Street history, which adds another layer to why his name circulates beyond typical anchor searches.
Multiple sources describe his exact birth date differently, with some listing February 13 and others July 13, though the year 1969 and birthplace of Laurel, Maryland are consistent across most sources. Given the discrepancy on the exact date, readers should treat the specific day as reported rather than fully confirmed, even though the year and general timeframe are well established. This kind of inconsistency is common for broadcast journalists whose official CNBC biography pages rarely list a full birth date, leaving most of what circulates online to come from unofficial aggregator sites rather than a single authoritative source.
Latest Update
Scott Wapner continues to host Fast Money Halftime Report on its regular weekday midday schedule and also anchors Closing Bell: Overtime coverage in the afternoon. No new personal announcement, career change, or controversy involving Wapner has been verified as of this date. Any claim suggesting otherwise should be treated as unconfirmed until reported directly by CNBC or a major outlet citing named sources. His name tends to trend around high-profile investor debates or activist campaigns, which remain a signature part of his program’s coverage.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Wapner was born and raised in Laurel, Maryland, where he developed an early interest in news and current events. Specific details about his parents and siblings are not consistently documented across public sources, so that information should be treated as unconfirmed.
Career Path
Wapner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of South Florida. Before joining CNBC, he worked as a reporter at KDFW-TV, a local television station, gaining experience in general news reporting before shifting into financial journalism.
He joined CNBC in the mid-2000s as a general assignment reporter, and he became known for reporting live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq MarketSite during major market events, including the May 2010 “flash crash,” which he covered live from the NYSE floor as prices collapsed and rebounded within minutes. That kind of high-pressure, unscripted reporting helped establish him as someone who could handle breaking financial news without a prepared script, a skill that became central to his later role as a live-format host.
In 2012, Wapner took over as host of Fast Money Halftime Report, a midday program focused on real-time market action and interviews with prominent investors. Under his leadership, the show became known for pointed exchanges, including a widely discussed 2013 on-air debate between activist investors Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman over the company Herbalife, a moment still referenced today as one of the most dramatic exchanges in the history of financial television. That confrontation later became the basis for Wapner’s 2018 book, “When the Wolves Bite: Two Billionaires, One Company, and an Epic Wall Street Battle,” which chronicled the years-long fight between the two investors in extensive detail. He has also produced documentary work for CNBC, including an Emmy-nominated piece on mixed martial arts titled “Ultimate Fighting: From Blood Sport to Big Time,” along with other documentary projects covering topics ranging from obesity in America to the hospitality industry.
Age
As of 2026, Scott Wapner is 57 years old, based on the commonly reported February 13, 1969 birth date, though some sources list a different exact day within the same year.
Religion
Scott Wapner’s religion has not been publicly confirmed by him or by CNBC, so it should be treated as unconfirmed.
Spouse/Partner
Scott Wapner is married, and sources indicate he and his wife have three children together. His wife’s name is reported inconsistently across biography sites, with some listing “Lisa Wapner” and others stating it is not publicly disclosed, so her identity should be treated as unconfirmed. The family reportedly resides in New Jersey.
Net Worth
Public estimates of Scott Wapner’s net worth range from roughly $1 million to $7 million across various unofficial sources, with several landing around $6 million. Because CNBC does not disclose anchor compensation, none of these figures are independently confirmed and should be treated as unverified public estimates.
Parents
Details about Scott Wapner’s parents are not consistently documented across available public sources, so this information should be treated as unconfirmed.
Height
Scott Wapner’s height is reported inconsistently across biography sites, with figures ranging from 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 2 inches. None of these come from a verified primary source, so any specific number should be treated as an unconfirmed estimate.
Education
Wapner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of South Florida, a public research university based in Tampa, Florida.
Hometown/State of Origin
Scott Wapner was born and raised in Laurel, Maryland, a city located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
Official Social Media
You can follow Scott Wapner’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ScottWapner, where he posts commentary tied to Halftime Report segments and investor interviews.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Scott Wapner |
| Born | February 13, 1969 (reported; exact date varies by source) |
| Current Age | 57 (as of 2026) |
| Hometown | Laurel, Maryland |
| Education | University of South Florida, Bachelor of Arts in History |
| Spouse | Married (spouse’s name unconfirmed) |
| Children | Three |
| Current Role | Host, CNBC Fast Money Halftime Report |
| Net Worth | Estimated $1 million–$7 million (unconfirmed) |
| Official Social Media | X (Twitter) @ScottWapnerCNBC |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
How old is Scott Wapner?
Scott Wapner was born in 1969, making him 57 years old as of 2026. Sources differ on the exact birth day, though February 13 is the most commonly cited date.
Who is Scott Wapner’s wife?
Scott Wapner is married with three children, but his wife’s name is reported inconsistently across public sources and has not been confirmed directly by Wapner, so it should be treated as unconfirmed.
What show does Scott Wapner host on CNBC?
Scott Wapner hosts Fast Money Halftime Report, a midday program airing weekdays at noon Eastern from the New York Stock Exchange. He also anchors Closing Bell: Overtime in the afternoon.
Where did Scott Wapner go to college?
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of South Florida before beginning his career in local television news.
What book did Scott Wapner write?
He wrote “When the Wolves Bite: Two Billionaires, One Company, and an Epic Wall Street Battle,” published in 2018, chronicling the public feud between investors Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman over Herbalife.
What is Scott Wapner’s net worth?
Public estimates range from roughly $1 million to $7 million, but CNBC does not disclose anchor compensation, so no figure is officially confirmed. Treat any specific number as an unverified public estimate.
Wrap-Up
Scott Wapner built his reputation for direct, sometimes uncomfortable interviews during some of the most dramatic moments in recent Wall Street history, most notably the on-air Icahn-Ackman clash that became a defining moment for his show and eventually the subject of his own book. That willingness to let confrontation play out on live television, rather than smoothing it over, is part of what separates Halftime Report from more measured daytime programming, and it has shaped how guests approach appearances on his show, knowing they may be pressed harder than on other financial programs.
More than a decade into hosting the program, he remains one of the go-to voices for midday market analysis, particularly when it comes to activist investing and hedge fund strategy. His background in general news reporting, including his live coverage of the 2010 flash crash, gave him the instincts to handle unpredictable, fast-moving situations on air, a skill that carried directly into his current role anchoring both a midday and an afternoon program back to back most trading days.
As with most public figures, some personal details, including his wife’s name, his parents’ background, and his exact net worth, are not independently confirmed despite showing up across biography websites. This article has tried to stick to what is documented, like his education and career timeline, rather than presenting inconsistent or unverified details as settled fact, which matters given how much conflicting information circulates about his birth date and family life specifically. Readers looking for the fuller picture are better served checking CNBC’s own program pages for his current on-air schedule than relying on any single unofficial biography site.
John Wood is the founder and lead editor of Biography Region. He researches and writes accurate, engaging biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, and public figures, delivering well-sourced, reader-focused content that informs and inspires.