No pirate adventure is complete without a bounty placed on the pirates' heads, and One Piece delivers on the trope by making bounties a key part of the storyline, with some of the highest One Piece bounties for the band of characters reaching billions of berries.

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Bounties were used to create awareness of the high seas' most notorious figures and offered a generous reward to anyone involved in their capture. The dead or alive prompt does exactly what it says on the tin, with several of the show's main protagonists realising the world wanted their heads on a spike.

The protagonist Monkey D Luffy set out to become the Pirate Master – a title not easily granted without some discourse. Luffy is currently well on his way to fulfilling his dreams, but since his first appearance in 1999, he's been a wanted target by nearly everyone at one point or another.

His bounty sits at an eye-watering amount, with a current bounty of 3 billion berries, but there are a small few who eclipse him entirely. To what extent does a pirate need to be so universally hated (yet wanted) that they can boast One Piece's highest bounty? As we move further into the latest One Piece arc, let's find out:

What is the highest bounty in One Piece?

The Pirate King Gol D Roger has the highest bounty in One Piece history, having earned a bounty of 5,564,800,000 berries. First revealed in episode 958, this bounty has not been surpassed since.

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There have been plenty of other huge bounties in the One Piece world, and with Luffy continuing to gain notoriety following the Wano County Arc, there is still the chance this highest bounty record could be surpassed in future One Piece releases and episodes.

These are some of the other highest bounties in the world of One Piece.

10. Trafalgar D Water Law

  • Bounty: 3 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Heart Pirates
  • Devil Fruit: Ope Ope no Mi (Op-Op Fruit)
  • Haki: Armament and Observation

Trafalgar D Water Law just about makes the most wanted list. He made an alliance with Luffy and managed to overthrow royalty by taking on the two emperors of the sea along with Kid.

He boasted a humble 200 million bounty, but after his escapades with our questionable hero, his warrant now stands at an impressive 3 billion berries. His actions haven't simmered since his conflict with the Emperor as he's taking on another, which may inject another few million berries into his bounty if he's successful.

9. Monkey D Luffy

Luffy looking angry in One Piece.
Luffy in One Piece. Crunchyroll
  • Bounty: 3 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Straw Hat Pirates
  • Devil Fruit: Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika (Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika)
  • Haki: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror’s

Luffy's journey has been a long, chaotic, wild and humorous one which saw him create countless bonds along the way. It's a shame that anyone who dares cross him is dealt with swiftly, as it only increases his berry bounty.

The Arlong Park arc bagged Luffy 30 million berries, but that became a drop in the ocean compared to the 3 billion reward at the end of the Wano Country arc.

With Gear 5 under his belt and a range of new destructive powers, Luffy could very well catapult himself even higher up the most wanted list.

8. Buggy

Buggy One Piece
Buggy in One Piece. Crunchyroll.com
  • Bounty: 3.19 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Buggy Pirates, Roger Pirates (Previously)
  • Organization: Cross Guild
  • Devil Fruit: Bara Bara no Mi (Chop-Chop Fruit)
  • Haki: Unconfirmed

Buggy the clown deserves all the respect in the world after coming out on top no matter what situation he's faced with. Alongside Shanks, he was a member of the Roger Pirates but soon became one of the warlords of the sea.

He originated the Cross Guild Organization and became it's leader above Crocodile and Mihawk, which led him to unrivalled heights of notoriety. Once the world government caught wind of his new position, they issued a boat load of berries for his head.

7. Dracule Mihawk

Dracule Mihawk One Piece
Dracule Mihawk in One Piece. Crunchyroll.com
  • Bounty: 3.59 billion berries
  • Organization: Cross Guild
  • Devil Fruit: None
  • Haki: Armament and Observation

Dracule boats the title of the world's most talented and strongest swordsman. During his time as a warlord of the high seas, he rivalled Shanks and made his way to becoming one of the most pivotal characters in One Piece.

With the ability to cut through his opponents like a wire through cheese, his bounty sits at an impressive 3.59 billion. After partnering with Buggy and Crocodile at the same time the Cross Guild rose to infamy, the world government was desperate to pin him down once and for all.

6. Marshall D Teach (Blackbeard)

Blackbeard One Piece
Blackbeard in One Piece. Crunchyroll.com
  • Bounty: 3.99 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Blackbeard Pirates, Whitebeard Pirates (Deserted)
  • Devil Fruit: Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit), Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit)
  • Haki: Armamen, and Observation

Blackbeard is one of Luffy's toughest foes and lead antagonists throughout the One Piece series. The eponymous name comes from his real life counterpart whose tales claim him as the greatest pirate that ever lived.

When it comes to Devil Fruits, while the majority of the world hold none but a choice few hold one, Blackbeard managed to obtain two. Alongside two forms of Haki, it sets a very clear picture as to why he's Luffy's toughest foe.

He's the show's most notorious villain and his berry bounty reflects that, ranking him as one of the most wanted pirates to ever set sail on the high seas.

5. Shanks

Shanks One Piece
Shanks in One Piece.
  • Bounty: 4.05 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Red Hair Pirates, Roger Pirates (Previously)
  • Devil Fruit: None
  • Haki: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror’s

After Kaido and Big Mom were defeated, Shanks stepped in to fill the role as the most powerful emperor around. He made a name for himself without the use of Devil Fruits but made short work of his opponents through the use of Haki.

Shanks is the fearsome master who originated the Red Hairs while still belonging to the legendary Roger Pirates. It only takes one look to make the toughest of admirals scurry away, which is reflected in the number of berries he's worth.

It may have been a long time coming but Shanks has managed to make his way up the bounty list to become the fifth most wanted pirate in existence.

4. Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom)

Big Mom One Piece
Big Mom in One Piece. Crunchyroll.com
  • Bounty: 4.39 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Big Mom Pirates, Rocks Pirates (Previously)
  • Devil Fruit: Soru Soru no Mi (Soul-Soul Fruit)
  • Haki: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror’s

Lovingly known as Big Mom by the very people who want her dead, she's the only female emperor to master the high seas. Don't let her appearance fool you; she's a destructive force who's totalled fleets of pirates with her bare hands.

She was formerly a member of the Rocks Pirates but earned her Big Mom title by starting her own fleet which soon saw her as family. Backed by the Soro Soru no Mi fruit and all three Haki, she's one mother nobody should get on the wrong side of.

3. Kaido

  • Bounty: 4.61 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Beast Pirates, Rocks Pirates (Previously)
  • Devil Fruit: Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu (Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon)
  • Haki: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror’s

Kaido is known as one of the strongest beasts on the planet, rivalled by none but feared by all. He was another sea emperor whose reputation preceded him for his blink-and-you'll-miss-it attacks that devastated the battle field.

Kaido’s Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu is an extremely rare and powerful devil fruit that makes him all the more lucrative to capture. After years of terrorising the seas and wreaking havoc across the world, only two others manage to outrank his bounty.

2. Edward Newgate (Whitebeard)

Whitebeard One piece
Whitebeard in One piece. Crunchyroll.com
  • Bounty: 5.05 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Whitebeard Pirates, Rocks Pirates (Previously)
  • Devil Fruit: Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit)
  • Haki: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror’s

Where Kaido was the strongest beast, Whitebeard was widely regarded as the world's strongest man. He had the powerful paramecia type Gura Gura no Mi devil fruit which many consider world destroying.

Whitebeard never had to rely on his Devil Fruits due to mastering the Haki and platforming himself as a direct rival to the Pirate King. His otherworldly strength, skills and overall image catapulted him to a bounty worth just over 5 billion berries.

1. Gol D Roger

  • Bounty: 5.56 billion berries
  • Pirate Crew: Roger Pirates
  • Devil Fruit: None
  • Haki: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror’s

Naturally, the Pirate King himself earns the title of the most wanted being in existence. Weighing in at a whopping 5.56 billion berries, Gol D Roger eclipses his fellow competitors for the world's largest bounty.

He conquered the high seas and found the fated One Piece treasure, which is enough of a warrant on its own merits without taking into consideration his skills and abilities. Although, when we do, he's also a triple threat, mastering all three Haki in order to elevate himself above even the emperors with ease.

The only thing that would pull him down in the rankings is that he doesn't own a Devil Fruit but as the Pirate King, he more than makes up for it in every other possible aspect.

Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on.

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