Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance better known as CZ, has reached a record net worth of $110 billion, officially making him the 17th wealthiest person in the world and moving him ahead of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. This massive surge, a $47 billion increase from last year, comes just 17 months after Zhao completed a four-month prison sentence for anti-money laundering failures. The primary driver of his wealth is his estimated 90% ownership of Binance, which Forbes now values at approximately $100 billion. Despite his resignation as CEO in 2023, the exchange remains the global leader in crypto, commanding a 38% market share and generating roughly $17 billion in annual revenue.
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Zhao’s re-entry into the upper echelons of global finance has been accelerated by his recent alignment with U.S. political circles. Following a full presidential pardon from Donald Trump in October 2025, Zhao has been seen at high-profile events like the Mar-a-Lago forum hosted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture tied to the Trump family. This political rehabilitation coincided with Binance’s $2 billion investment partnership with Abu Dhabi-based firm MGX, which utilized World Liberty’s stablecoin. While Bill Gates has seen his fortune dip to $108 billion following his divorce and significant charitable donations, CZ’s wealth continues to climb alongside the rebounding crypto market.
A year and a half ago, Changpeng Zhao was just getting out of jail. Now, crypto’s richest mogul has ridden a rebound in Binance’s valuation—and friends in high places—to his highest net worth ever.
Here’s where CZ ranks on the #ForbesBillionaires list: https://t.co/DjuKM8ftj3… pic.twitter.com/VwslVIyUUK
— Forbes (@Forbes) March 10, 2026
Despite this financial success, Binance continues to face scrutiny over its compliance standards. Recent reports allege the exchange fired investigators who flagged $1 billion in transactions linked to sanctioned Iranian entities, accusations that Binance continues to dispute. Nevertheless, Zhao now outranks traditional titans of industry, including Michael Bloomberg and Ken Griffin. His ascent underscores a dramatic shift in global wealth, where the founder of a privately held, non-U.S.-regulated exchange now holds more capital than the pioneers of the personal computing era.
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