A total of 16 individuals tied primarily to the crypto market were named to Forbes' 2025 World's Billionaires List.

This shows the growing financial impact of the digital asset industry on global wealth creation.

A total of 16 individuals primarily linked to the crypto market were included in Forbes’ 2025 World’s Billionaires List. This highlights the increasing financial footprint of the digital asset industry in global wealth generation.

Their collective estimated fortunes exceed $164 billion, with a median net worth among the group being $6.8 billion.

This development follows a pivotal year for crypto markets in 2024 and early 2025. Key events included the U.S. approval of the first spot Bitcoin ETFs, heightened public endorsements from political figures, and Bitcoin surging past $100,000 before pulling back from the milestone.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), co-founder of the Binance exchange, occupies the top spot among crypto billionaires listed by Forbes. His reported net worth is $62.9 billion. Zhao remains the wealthiest known figure whose fortune is largely derived from the crypto industry.

Other current or former exchange leaders also feature prominently on the list. These include Coinbase’s co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong (estimated net worth $9.2 billion) and fellow co-founder Fred Ehrsam.

Related: Changpeng Zhao (CZ) Burns Nearly $4 Million in Altcoins He Didn’t Ask For

Gemini exchange co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss also made the list. Justin Sun, founder of the Tron network and later owner of the Poloniex exchange, is listed with an estimated $8.5 billion fortune, though Forbes mentions his wealth is mainly tied to Tron’s success.

Giancarlo Devasini, the firm’s chief financial officer and reportedly its largest individual shareholder, is ranked as the second-richest person overall in the crypto space by Forbes, with an estimated net worth of $22.4 billion. Tether is said to have generated substantial profits (sources cite $13 billion for the previous year) while operating with a lean team of around 100 employees globally.

Devasini is joined on the Forbes list by current Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, former CEO JL van der Velde, and current General Counsel Stuart Hoegner. Due to the company’s reported financial success, each now individually holds billionaire status according to Forbes’ estimates.

Other crypto billionaires listed include founders of major blockchain projects and prominent early-stage venture capitalists known for their tech investments.

Chris Larsen, closely associated with Ripple Labs, and Jed McCaleb, co-founder of Stellar (and previously involved with Ripple and Mt. Gox), both appear again on Forbes’ 2025 billionaires list. Tim Draper, known for very early venture investments in technology and crypto, also made the rankings this year.

Related: Crypto Billionaires in South Korea: Young Investors Hold $739 Million

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy, has a reported personal net worth of $7.4 billion. Saylor’s company, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), famously holds over 528,185 BTC (worth ~45 billion at recent prices). He has also previously confirmed personal holdings exceeding 17,732 BTC.