TLDR
- Changpeng Zhao disputed Forbes’ claim placing his net worth near $111 billion.
- He noted crypto prices dropped more than 50% during 2026.
- Forbes ranked CZ 17th ahead of Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg.
- Most of CZ’s wealth estimate comes from Binance equity and BNB tokens.
Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has rejected Forbes’ estimate that his wealth stands at about $111 billion. The figure placed him among the world’s richest individuals. Zhao argued that the estimate does not match the sharp decline in crypto prices during 2026.
Forbes listed Zhao as the 17th richest person in its latest billionaire ranking. The position placed him ahead of several well-known business leaders. Zhao responded publicly and questioned the logic behind the estimate.
CZ Questions Forbes Wealth Calculation
Changpeng Zhao addressed the ranking through posts on the social media platform X. He said the calculation does not align with current market conditions in the digital asset sector. According to him, the market decline makes the estimate difficult to justify. “Crypto price dropped by more than 50% in 2026 already. And my net worth went up?” Zhao wrote. “I hope they can apply some common sense and basic logic.”
He added that billionaire rankings sometimes rely on rough assumptions. In a follow-up post, Zhao suggested that the methodology can produce inconsistent results. “I think if I tried to claim I have a high net worth, they would rank me much lower, or maybe even remove me from the list,” he said.
Zhao also compared valuations among technology founders. He pointed out that ByteDance generates about $150 billion in annual revenue. Yet its founder Zhang Yiming is valued near $69 billion. Zhao noted that Binance reportedly generates about $5 billion in revenue while his estimated wealth exceeded $110 billion on the list.
Forbes Ranking Places CZ Among Global Billionaires
Forbes estimated Zhao’s net worth at around $110 billion in its latest list. The figure placed him ahead of Bloomberg, whose wealth was estimated near $109 billion. It also ranked him above Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates at about $108 billion. India’s business leader Mukesh Ambani appeared below Zhao on the ranking. Ambani’s estimated fortune stood near $99.7 billion according to the list.
Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk topped the ranking with an estimated fortune of about $839 billion. Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin followed with estimated fortunes of $257 billion and $237 billion.
Several cryptocurrency figures also appeared in the ranking. These included Tether executives Giancarlo Devasini, Paolo Ardoino, and Jean-Louis van der Velde. Coinbase chief executive Brian Armstrong and investor Michael Saylor were also listed with multi-billion dollar fortunes.
Binance Stake and Crypto Holdings Shape Estimates
A large share of Zhao’s estimated wealth comes from his ownership stake in Binance. Reports suggest he still holds about 90% of the cryptocurrency exchange. The estimates also include holdings of Binance Coin, known as BNB. Some reports indicate Zhao controls a large portion of the token supply. These holdings contribute to the valuation used in billionaire rankings.
On-chain data from Arkham Intelligence shows Zhao’s visible crypto assets are worth about $1.06 billion. The holdings include roughly 106,900 BNB tokens. BNB traded near $640 during the latest market session. The token has declined more than 50% from its peak above $1,369 recorded in October last year.
Zhao stepped down as Binance chief executive in November 2023. The move came after a settlement with United States authorities related to money-laundering violations. He later served a four-month prison sentence and paid a $50 million fine. Binance also paid $4.3 billion as part of the settlement and exited the U.S. market. Estimates of Zhao’s wealth remain closely tied to Binance’s performance and the broader cryptocurrency market.
Get 3 Free Stock Ebooks
Discover top-performing stocks in AI, Crypto, and Technology with expert analysis.
- Top 10 AI Stocks - Leading AI companies
- Top 10 Crypto Stocks - Blockchain leaders
- Top 10 Tech Stocks - Tech giants
