Changpeng Zhao, the founder and former chief executive of Binance, has climbed to 17th place on the global billionaire rankings, placing him ahead of Bill Gates in estimated net worth.
Recent estimates published by Forbes show that Zhao’s fortune has risen to around $110 billion, pushing him into the upper tier of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
The development marks a dramatic financial turnaround for Zhao, widely known as CZ, who only a year and a half ago was dealing with legal troubles tied to regulatory violations involving Binance. After a long investigation by United States authorities into the company’s compliance practices, Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti–money laundering program.
As part of the settlement, Zhao agreed to pay a $50 million personal fine, while Binance paid about $4.3 billion to resolve the case. He also stepped down as the chief executive of the exchange and served four months in prison in California.
Despite those setbacks, Zhao’s fortune has rebounded significantly. According to Forbes’ latest billionaire rankings, his net worth has climbed to about $110 billion, an increase of roughly $47 billion from the previous year. The surge places him among the richest individuals in the world and within the small group of billionaires whose wealth exceeds $100 billion.
With this new estimate, Zhao now ranks as the 17th-wealthiest person globally, surpassing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in total wealth. Gates, long considered one of the world’s richest individuals, has gradually moved down the rankings in recent years due in part to large philanthropic donations and shifts in technology sector valuations.
Zhao’s wealth remains closely tied to his holdings in Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. The value of his stake has increased alongside renewed momentum in the digital asset market, which has seen stronger investor activity and rising cryptocurrency prices over the past year.
Zhao’s return to the top ranks of global wealth reflects both the resilience of the crypto market and the continued influence of early industry founders whose fortunes remain closely tied to the performance of the digital asset economy.
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