#BabyMarvinf9c7合约地址 Hurun Research Institute released the 2024 "Hurun Rich List", which is the 26th consecutive time that Hurun Research Institute has released the list since 1999. The Hurun Rich List shows that Binance founder Zhao Changpeng (CZ) ranked 16th in 2024, and his wealth increased by RMB 90 billion compared to 2023. He ranked second in the "largest wealth increase" category, second only to ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming.
The Hurun Report article mentioned that although Zhao Changpeng of the virtual currency exchange Binance was arrested in California in the past year and paid a total fine of more than 7 billion US dollars, his wealth still increased by 90 billion yuan from last year to 135 billion yuan, mainly due to the increase in the total transaction volume of virtual currencies in the past year, as the price of Bitcoin rose by 130% from the same period last year to 65,000 US dollars. In addition, the market value of the virtual currency exchange Coinbase has more than doubled from 19 billion US dollars to 46 billion US dollars. It is understood that Zhao Changpeng made his first appearance on the list in 2018 with a wealth of 15 billion yuan, ranking 230th. Today, his wealth has reached 100 billion.
CZ ranks 16th, is that an underestimate?
As early as 2018, on the Hurun Blockchain Wealth List, CZ ranked third with only 15 billion yuan, while Zhan Ketuan and Wu Jihan ranked first and second with 29.5 billion and 16.5 billion, respectively.
According to the 2021 Hurun Rich List, Zhao Changpeng ranks 114th with a wealth of 52 billion yuan, equivalent to about $8 billion, alongside the Bosideng Gao family. In the same year, Forbes estimated Zhao Changpeng's net worth at $1.9 billion. In November 2021, financial media reported that insiders revealed Binance's valuation would reach $300 billion based on the trading volume at that time; simultaneously, according to (Forbes) data, founder Zhao Changpeng holds 30% of Binance, bringing his assets to $90 billion, making him the richest person in Asia.
In 2022, on the Bloomberg Billionaires List, CZ ranked 12th globally with a wealth of 597.7 billion yuan.
Moreover, recently, some media reported that CZ's wealth grows by $25 million daily while in prison, currently having a personal wealth of $60 billion, making him the 25th richest person in the world.
So did Hurun underestimate it? Did they not account for crypto assets?
While Zhao Changpeng's wealth in Bitcoin (BTC) and Binance Coin (BNB) is well known, most of his wealth is tied to equity in privately held companies. Therefore, calculating his exact net worth is complex. Nevertheless, estimates suggest that Zhao Changpeng's personal wealth may have increased by $25 million for each day he spent in prison. The differences between Forbes and Bloomberg reports further highlight the mystery of his financial status.
Reports about Zhao Changpeng's wealth are contradictory.
(Forbes) reports estimate that by September 27, 2024, Zhao Changpeng's net worth will reach $61 billion. This means Zhao Changpeng's wealth has increased by more than $3 billion, up from $57.8 billion in July. (Forbes) valuations mainly focus on the wealth obtained from equity in Binance's private companies. If accurate, this means Zhao Changpeng earned more during his prison sentence than many executives do in their lifetime.
In contrast, Bloomberg's analysis indicates that Zhao Changpeng's wealth actually decreased during his imprisonment. It claims that Zhao Changpeng's wealth shrank by $5.7 billion, from $36.5 billion in June to $30.8 billion at the time of his release. Bloomberg's valuation is more conservative, stemming from its decision to assign a zero-dollar value to his held BTC and BNB, and to apply a 50% discount to his stake in Binance. This valuation is based on comparisons with companies like Coinbase and Galaxy Digital, which have also been affected during the industry downturn.
Although only CZ truly knows his financial situation, these conflicting reports have sparked widespread curiosity in the cryptocurrency community, leading to speculation about how much this industry tycoon actually earned while in prison.
Zhao Changpeng was released from federal prison on Friday, September 27, 2024, after serving a four-month sentence. His release was two days earlier than the originally scheduled release date of Sunday, September 29, 2024. (If a prisoner's release date falls on a weekend or holiday, the prison administration has the authority to release the prisoner early.)
Shortly after his release, Zhao Changpeng CZ shared a post on X outlining his future commitments. He stated that he would continue to invest in the blockchain field, as well as other emerging advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Zhao Changpeng characterized himself as someone who focuses on 'impact rather than return'.
