Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder and former CEO of Binance, has surpassed Bill Gates in the global billionaires ranking for the first time, increasing his wealth to $110 billion due to the rapid growth of the cryptocurrency exchange.
This is reported by Business • Media
CZ’s Wealth Growth and Binance’s Role
Analysts estimate that over the past year, Changpeng Zhao’s wealth has increased by nearly $47 billion, securing him the 17th position on the list of the world’s richest people and entry into the top 20 billionaires with a net worth exceeding $100 billion. The main component of his wealth is approximately 90% of Binance shares, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world. According to Forbes, the company’s valuation is estimated at around $100 billion. Additionally, in 2024-2025, Binance’s annual revenue could reach $16-17 billion, significantly surpassing the financial metrics of the public exchange Coinbase, whose revenue for the same period is estimated at $6.6 billion.
According to court documents presented in the U.S., Zhao controls about 90% of Binance. The exchange processes over $30 trillion in transactions annually across spot and derivatives markets. Besides his primary stake in the company, Zhao owns around 1400 BTC (valued at $100 million), as well as a significant reserve of BNB tokens, which, however, constitutes a smaller portion of his wealth compared to his stake in the exchange.
“The primary source of the entrepreneur’s wealth remains his stake in Binance, the authors emphasized. Despite stepping down as CEO, the company’s valuation has become the key factor in CZ’s wealth growth.”
The Impact of Politics and Scandals on the Entrepreneur’s Wealth
In 2024, Changpeng Zhao stepped down as CEO of Binance following a U.S. government investigation into violations of anti-money laundering (AML) laws and admitted guilt by paying a $50 million fine. After that, he spent four months in prison but was released in September 2024. In October 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a pardon for him, legally lifting the restrictions related to the criminal case.
The turning point for CZ’s business coincided with Trump’s return to the White House and a shift in American policy towards the crypto industry. Specifically, in October 2025, Binance added the USD1 stablecoin, issued by World Liberty Financial, which has ties to the president’s family, to its listings. Zhao himself emphasized that he does not plan to return to the position of CEO of Binance.
Despite record wealth growth, Binance continues to face criticism and new investigations. Recently, media reports have surfaced regarding potential transactions by Binance with sanctioned organizations in Iran; however, the exchange has categorically denied these accusations, calling them “outright lies.”
In the billionaires ranking, Zhao has surpassed financial figures such as Michael Bloomberg, Jeff Yass, and Ken Griffin. Bill Gates’s wealth is currently estimated at approximately $108 billion—$2 billion less than CZ. The top spot on the list of the world’s richest people is held by Elon Musk, with a net worth of $839 billion.
