The dramatic growth of cryptocurrencies has brought many earning opportunities for holders and investors. Many of those have even owned dozen billions of dollars in assets, which make them billionaires. Among the richest ones, there are 10 names at the top.
1. Changpeng Zhao
- Net worth: $65 billion
- Source of wealth: Binance
- Citizenship: Canada
Changpeng Zhao is currently the 19th richest person in the world and standing at number one in the crypto industry. Forbes estimates that he owns at least 70% of Binance, the leading global cryptocurrency trading platform. Last year, the company reportedly processed about two-thirds of the total transaction volume, generating up to $16 billion in revenue.
The Binance CEO also holds a small amount of Bitcoin and BNB, the native token of Binance. However, with many predictions that Binance could surge up to 300 billion USD if listed on the stock exchange, many analysts believe Changpeng Zhao’s net worth could reach $200 billion. Binance also invested $200 million in Forbes just a month ago.
Despite owning such a huge asset, the Binance CEO is still willing to give 99% of it to charity.
2. Sam Bankman-Fried
- Net worth: $24 billion
- Source of wealth: FTX
- Citizenship: U.S.
Sam Bankman-Fried is not only the 2nd richest billionaire in the crypto world but also the 32nd richest person in the world. With his tireless efforts, FTX has become one of the most powerful firms in the digital coin market, even though the exchange has only been established within the last 2 years.
Under Sam’s leadership, FTX is known for huge capital-raising deals. In July 2021, FTX broke a record when it raised $900 million, with a valuation of $18 billion. After 3 months, FTX continued to raise capital of $420 million, boosting the company’s valuation to $25 billion.
As of January this year, FTX’s U.S. operations were also valued at $8 billion after breaking the record of a $400 million raise. Meanwhile, the FTX exchange currently boasts a $32 billion valuation after a $400 million funding round in the same timeframe.
3. Brian Armstrong
- Net worth: $6.6 billion
- Source of wealth: Coinbase
- Citizenship: U.S.
The CEO and founder of Coinbase has opened a new page for the crypto industry. In April 2021, this exchange was listed on the stock exchange with a record valuation of $100 billion. Coinbase’s market capitalization today is only about half of what it was at that time, but still enough to make its CEO the 3rd richest person in the crypto space with a 19% stake.
4. Gary Wang
- Net worth: $5.9 billion
- Source of wealth: FTX
- Citizenship: U.S.
The co-founder and chief technology officer of FTX, the press-shy Wang launched the crypto exchange with Bankman-Fried in 2019. Wang currently holds a 16% stake in FTX’s global business and over $600 million worth of FTT tokens, which makes him the 4th richest person in the crypto space. Before entering this field, Wang was a software engineer at Google.
5. Chris Larsen
- Net worth: $4.3 billion
- Source of wealth: Ripple
- Citizenship: U.S
The co-founder and executive chairman of blockchain company Ripple, whose XRP token is currently the 8th largest cryptocurrency. At the present time, Larsen and his partner Brad Garlinghouse are still busy fighting the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuits filed in December 2020 alleging Ripple selling unregistered securities.
Separate from his legal troubles, Larsen is actively working with environmental groups to launch a campaign to reduce the carbon footprint of mining Bitcoin.
6&7. Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss
- Net worth: $4 billion each
- Source of wealth: Bitcoin
- Citizenship: U.S.
The twin brother started stepping into the crypto space in 2012. Since then they have diversified their investment portfolio by acquiring various cryptocurrencies and launching them on the Gemini exchange. The duo also owns the popular NFT marketplace Nifty Gateway, which has just made a partnership with Samsung to develop the first smart NFT TV.
8. Song Chi-Hyung
- Net worth: $3.7 billion
- Source of wealth: Upbit
- Citizenship: South Korea
Song Chi-Hyung is estimated to own about a quarter of Upbit’s parent company, Dunamu, which was valued at $17 billion last November when Hybe, the agency behind Kpop band BTS, bought a 2.5% stake in Upbit. In addition, Qualcomm – the American semiconductor giant, previously held a 6% stake in Dunamu.
9. Barry Silbert
- Net worth: $3.2 billion
- Source of wealth: Digital Currency Group
- Citizenship: U.S.
Together with the Digital Currency Group, Barry Silbert has built an incredibly diversified cryptocurrency conglomerate. His investment firm also controls Grayscale, the world’s largest crypto investment fund, managing approximately $28 billion in assets, as well as CoinDesk, popular crypto news, and events company.
Through its many subsidiaries, Digital Currency Group has invested in over 200 startups in the blockchain space.
10. Jed McCaleb
- Net worth: $2.5 billion
- Source of wealth: Ripple, Stellar
- Citizenship: U.S.
The majority of Jed McCaleb’s fortune comes from Ripple Labs and XRP, the payments-focused crypto project he co-founded in 2012. McCaleb left the project in 2013 after a falling out with Larsen and other team members. Since then, he has sold most of his XRP in periodic increments, following the 2014 separation agreement he signed with Ripple Labs. Currently, Jed McCaleb is the founder and chief technology officer of the Stellar Lumens (XLM) project.
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