Crypto Industry Shines with 16 Billionaires on Forbes 2025 List
The cryptocurrency sector continues to gain momentum, as reflected in Forbes’ 2025 World Billionaires List
Derar Hadri 
The cryptocurrency sector continues to gain momentum, as reflected in Forbes’ 2025 World Billionaires List, which features 16 crypto billionaires among the 3,028 individuals listed—an increase from last year’s count. This milestone underscores the growing influence and wealth accumulation within the digital asset space.
A Booming Billionaire Club
The list, released on April 1, 2025, includes a record number of billionaires whose combined wealth has reached $16.1 trillion, up nearly $2 trillion from 2024. The rise in crypto billionaires correlates with Bitcoin’s new all-time high of $109,000, and a broader shift in political sentiment in the United States, now led by Donald Trump, the first openly pro-crypto U.S. president.
Leading the country-wise count, the United States tops the list with 902 billionaires, followed by China (516, including Hong Kong) and India (205). Notably, 16 individuals have built their fortunes primarily through cryptocurrency ventures.
Meet the Richest in Crypto
At the top of the crypto billionaire list is Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the 48-year-old founder of Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange by daily trading volume. Zhao remains the wealthiest figure in the crypto industry with an estimated net worth of $69 billion.
Following closely is Giancarlo Devasini, CFO and largest shareholder of Tether, the leading stablecoin issuer. With a net worth of $22.4 billion, Devasini ranks 90th on Forbes’ global list. He is joined by Tether’s executive team, including:
-
CEO Paolo Ardoino: $9.5 billion
-
Former CEO JL van der Velde: billionaire status
-
General Counsel Stuart Hoegner: $6.2 billion
Brian Armstrong, co-founder and CEO of Coinbase, transformed the platform into the largest crypto exchange in the U.S. Under his leadership, Coinbase became the 7th largest Bitcoin holder with 9,480 BTC. Armstrong now holds a net worth of $9.2 billion, while his co-founder Fred Ehrsam boasts $2.7 billion.
The Winklevoss twins, Cameron and Tyler, co-founders of Gemini, each hold $3.2 billion. Once famous for their legal battle with Mark Zuckerberg, they are now prominent figures in the crypto world.
Justin Sun, founder of Tron and owner of Polo Digital Assets, also makes his debut with $8.5 billion. Known for his bold publicity stunts—like eating a $6.2 million banana artwork—Sun has built a substantial fortune through strategic moves in the digital asset space.
Other notable names include:
-
Chris Larsen (Ripple co-founder): $8.2 billion
-
Jed McCaleb (Mt. Gox, Ripple, Stellar): $2.9 billion
-
Tim Draper (venture capitalist, early Bitcoin buyer): $2.6 billion
-
Mike Novogratz (Galaxy Digital): $3.2 billion
-
Matthew Roszak (crypto investor): $2.2 billion
-
Michael Saylor (MicroStrategy founder and Bitcoin bull): $7.4 billion
-
Personally owns 17,732 BTC
-
MicroStrategy holds 528,185 BTC, the largest corporate stash globally
-
A Defining Era for Digital Wealth
As cryptocurrency matures and gains mainstream acceptance, the wealth being generated within the industry is no longer fringe—it’s foundational. With Bitcoin surging and institutional adoption growing, the presence of crypto entrepreneurs on global billionaire lists is expected to rise even further in the years to come.
