paper profit

noun

1. an unrealized profit due to the appreciation of something owned but not yet sold.

Word History and Origins

Origin of paper profit¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

They can actually not have paid the money back, but just have the paper profits and take profits on that.

From The Verge

The shares have since fallen, but he’s still sitting on a paper profit of about $120 and doesn’t plan to sell.

From New York Times

Like all the best fantasies, this contains just enough truth to be plausible: Some sharp investors did pull out right before the storm swept their paper profits away — though not many.

From Washington Post

Retail investors’ scepticism, note, was despite Softbank’s paper profits from its adventure reportedly having reached $4bn, a credible figure given the performance of the tech-heavy Nasdaq in the last couple of months.

From The Guardian

But when the loan was announced one day later, the stock soared to $60 before closing around $33, leaving each of the executives sitting on paper profits worth millions of dollars.

From Washington Post