Ed Sheeran's property empire has soared to £61.5 million ($78.1 million)

According to The Sun newspaper, that's because the 'Shape of You' hitmaker - who is reportedly worth £200 million - purchased further properties during the lockdown period.

It was claimed that the 29-year-old Grammy-winner owned 27 properties in February.

As well as a sprawling estate in Suffolk, Ed owns the restaurant Bertie Blossoms a mansion in London, two Covent Garden properties, flats in Battersea, and rental properties across London.

The 'Perfect' hitmaker bought the first property in his 'Sheeranville' estate for almost £900,000 in 2012, and last year splashed out £875,000 for his fifth house in the area.

Over the years, he's built a swimming pool, two-storey treehouse and a pub within his grounds, prompting a number of objections to his plans, including in 2018 when he applied to build a chapel.

Ed - who recently welcomed his first child with wife Cherry Seaborn, daughter Lyra, into the world - bought his properties for cash as he didn't require mortgages.

A source previously said: "He has a great portfolio of properties and he owns the lot free and clear. There was no need to borrow the cash from a lender because he already had it.

"Some people have the cash tied up so need to raise a mortgage but Ed has piles of the cash in the bank so there was no point in letting a bank earn money by lending him the money. He just bought them outright.”