Billionaire financier George Soros told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Sunday that he was handing control of his massive empire to his son, Alexander Soros.

A hedge fund manager turned philanthropist and major backer of liberal causes, Soros, 92, said he previously didn't want his Open Society Foundations (OSF) to be taken over by one of his five children.

But speaking of his decision to turn over the foundation and the rest of his $25 billion empire to his son, Alexander, 37, who goes by Alex, the elder Soros said: "He's earned it."

Also interviewed by the newspaper, Alex said he's "more political" than his father and that he plans to continue donating family money to back left-leaning U.S. political candidates.

"As much as I would love to get money out of politics, as long as the other side is doing it, we will have to do it too," Alex said.

The OSF board elected Alex as its chairman in December, and Alex now directs political activity as president of Soros' political action committee.

The foundation directs about $1.5 billion a year to groups such as those backing human rights around the world and helping build democracies, the Wall Street Journal reported.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Mark Porter)