September 2, 2025
~3 min read
Method note: This ranking synthesizes Cointelegraph’s 2025 list with cross‑references to reputable wealth trackers and company filings/coverage where available. Net‑worth figures move with token prices and equities; treat these as point‑in‑time estimates, not fixed truths.
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Changpeng “CZ” Zhao — ~$62.9B
- Company/role: Binance (founder; former CEO)
- Why he tops the list: Despite stepping down as CEO in late 2023, CZ is still credited with ~90% ownership of Binance. With the exchange retaining global market leadership and BNB activity robust, his fortune leads the crypto field.
- Reference: Cointelegraph’s 2025 list
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Giancarlo Devasini — ~$22.4B
- Company/role: Tether / Bitfinex (co‑founder; CFO)
- Why he’s here: Tether’s record profits and USDT’s outsized trading volumes have lifted Devasini’s paper wealth; estimates often assume a ~47% stake in Tether Group.
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Brian Armstrong — ~$9.6B–$12.8B
- Company/role: Coinbase (CEO, co‑founder)
- What drives it: Coinbase’s market cap and Armstrong’s ~14–15% stake determine the range. A strong 2025 for COIN shares keeps him among the Top 3.
- Reference: Forbes
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Michael Saylor — ~$10.1B
- Company/role: Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) — Executive Chairman
- Why it’s so high: Massive corporate BTC exposure plus a personal stash (~17,700 BTC) and sizable equity position. Share price and BTC both feed into his wealth estimate.
- Reference: Bloomberg
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Chris Larsen — ~$7B–$8B
- Company/role: Ripple (co‑founder; executive chairman)
- Key inputs: Large XRP holdings (≈2.6B XRP reported) plus Ripple equity. The value flexes with XRP’s price and liquidity events.
- Reference: Forbes
- Jed McCaleb — ~$2.9B
- Company/role: Stellar (co‑founder & CTO; ex‑Ripple/Mt.Gox)
- Why it persists: Early XRP allocations and Stellar equity continue to anchor McCaleb’s wealth, despite his XRP sales schedule concluding in 2022.
- Reference: Forbes
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Mike Novogratz — ~$2.7B–$5.5B
- Company/role: Galaxy Digital (founder & CEO)
- What moves it: Galaxy’s equity and crypto reserves. Estimates differ by source/date, but even the conservative reads keep him among crypto’s wealthiest executives.
- Reference: Forbes; Wikipedia
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Barry Silbert — ~$3.0B–$3.2B
- Company/role: Digital Currency Group (founder & CEO)
- State of play: After Genesis’ insolvency and legal overhangs, Silbert’s fortune is still pegged by many outlets near $3B. His influence runs through Grayscale, Foundry, Luno—and new bets like decentralized AI.
- Reference: Forbes plus WSJ profile
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Bijan Tehrani — ~$2.8B
- Company/role: Stake.com (co‑founder); Kick (co‑founder)
- Why he makes the list: The rise of crypto‑enabled entertainment (gaming, streaming) has minted a new class of founders. Tehrani’s wealth is tied to Stake’s rapid growth.
- Reference: Forbes
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Vitalik Buterin — ~$1.0B+
- Company/role: Ethereum (co‑founder; not a CEO)
- Why included: Though not a corporate CEO, Buterin is the intellectual anchor of Ethereum. On‑chain analytics firms often attribute ~250k–280k ETH to his known wallets, making him an on‑chain billionaire when ETH trades near four figures.
- Reference: Nansen/Arkham analyses; recent Cointelegraph coverage on his wallet balance surpassing $1B.
What the list tells us about crypto wealth in 2025
- Exchanges and stablecoins dominate. Exchange founders (Binance, Coinbase) and stablecoin insiders (Tether) sit at the top—a reflection of where the cash flows and moats are in crypto’s current business stack.
- Protocol builders still matter. Buterin’s presence underscores that open‑source protocol creators can rival corporate moguls when their tokens reach scale.
- Fortunes are volatile. Token prices, equities, and regulatory decisions can move these numbers billions in a quarter. Always check time stamps and methodology when citing net worth.
Disclaimer: This is an informational snapshot, not investment advice. Wealth estimates are approximate and subject to rapid change with market conditions and new disclosures.
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Disclaimer: The material in this article is not financial or investment advice. Everything stated here reflects the author's personal view and should not be treated as a recommendation to trade or invest. We make no warranties regarding the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information presented. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile and can move unpredictably. Before committing any funds, every investor, trader or crypto user should study several independent sources and check the regulations that apply in their own jurisdiction.