Former Binance CEO “CZ” Reclaims Title of Richest Chinese Person on Forbes List

Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has regained his status as the richest Chinese individual on Forbes’ global billionaire list. According to data published on Forbes’ official website, Zhao currently ranks 24th worldwide with individual assets totaling $65.7 billion. Although widely associated with China, Forbes lists his nationality as Canadian.

Zhao’s net worth from 2018 to 2025 shows fluctuations closely aligned with developments in the crypto market. Between 2018 and 2021, his wealth remained stable at average levels. In 2022, a large surge marked the peak of the chart, indicating a financial high point. However, this increase was followed by a decline in 2023, bringing his wealth close to pre-2022 levels.

Source: Forbes

The pattern shifted again in 2024, with Zhao’s net worth beginning to recover. The upward trend extended into 2025, nearly reaching the previous high. This pattern displays a financial path defined by strong gains, sudden contraction, and gradual recovery, consistent with the volatile nature of crypto-linked fortunes.

The “All-In” Bet on Bitcoin That Started It All

Zhao’s introduction to cryptocurrency occurred in 2013 during a poker game, where he met Bobby Lee, brother of Litecoin creator Charlie Lee, and investor Ron Cao. He was advised to invest 10% of his wealth in Bitcoin. Instead, he sold his entire real estate portfolio and allocated all his capital to Bitcoin, which was then priced at around $600.

His professional path in the crypto industry advanced quickly. Zhao joined Blockchain.com as Head of Development and later became CTO at OKCoin, where he helped establish futures trading capabilities. These experiences positioned him to launch Binance, which would grow into one of the most widely used cryptocurrency exchanges.

A Fortune Built on Binance and BNB

Zhao’s reported portfolio remains heavily concentrated in Binance Coin (BNB). His disclosed holdings include 98.48% BNB, 1.32% Bitcoin, 0.17% Eurite (EURI), and 0.03% Tether (USDT). However, the exact volume of his BNB holdings has not been made public. His wealth remains influenced by market performance due to his 90% equity stake in Binance.

In 2017, Chinese regulatory action forced Binance to halt operations and exit the domestic market. The exchange relocated to Japan shortly after China imposed a nationwide ban on cryptocurrency exchanges and initial coin offerings.

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