People · #17 of 100 Net worths as of Sep 24, 2026

Billionaires Digest

Read the moves of the world's 100 richest like a trading desk

#17 of 100 · Finance

Changpeng Zhao

Cryptocurrency Exchange

Net worth

$114.6B

Forbes Real-Time · as of Sep 24, 2026

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Latest moves

Sep 26, 2026 edition

Changpeng ZhaoIPO / MarketsFinancePrivateAI read · ▲ Volatile

Binance's Zhao gains $9.8B in a day as crypto rebounds

The move

Changpeng Zhao's estimated net worth rose $9.76 billion in 24 hours to $91.2 billion on September 20, a roughly 12% one-day gain tied to the rising estimated value of his Binance stake. His fortune is up $41.5 billion, or 83.6%, since the start of the year, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Why it matters

Zhao says capital that rotated into AI stocks this year is starting to flow back into crypto, and swings this large show how tightly his fortune tracks Binance's implied valuation.

The bear case

Most of Zhao's wealth is an estimate of a private company's value, not cash or public shares, so a one-day, double-digit swing says more about valuation models than liquid wealth.

What to watch

Whether the crypto rally Zhao is describing continues or fades.

Source · NairametricsRead original ↗Report an error

Recent SEC filings

SEC filings · last 90 days

Form 4 · insider trade ↗

Exercised 7.6M BNC

YZILabs Management Ltd. · filed Sep 21, 2026

Form 3 · new insider ↗

YZILabs Management Ltd. · filed Sep 21, 2026

13D/13G · big stake ↗

YZILabs Management Ltd. · filed Sep 21, 2026

Form 4 insider trades post within 2 business days. 13F fund holdings can arrive 45 days after quarter end. New to filings? Read Filings 101.

Footprint

Companies

Binance (Binance Holdings Ltd.)Co-founder · Estimated ~90% (Forbes estimate) · as of Sep 2026

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Role: Co-founder (2017); former CEO (resigned Nov 2023 under US plea); Richard Teng CEO, Yi He named co-CEO Dec 2025
Stake: Estimated ~90% (Forbes estimate)
Stake as of: 2026-09-24

YZILabs Management Ltd. (YZi Labs; formerly Binance Labs)Sole director

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Role: Sole director (per SEC 13D); investment vehicle for Web3, AI and biotech

BNB token / BNB Chain ecosystemBNB · Launched BNB with Binance in 2017

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Ticker: BNB
Role: Launched BNB with Binance in 2017; Forbes says he holds significant BNB

Stakes

CEA Industries Inc. (BNB treasury company)BNC · 19.99% · as of Sep 2026 · $6.26 ▲ 2.46%

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Ticker: BNC
Stake: 19.99% (9,749,745 shares) after warrant exercise; Zhao and YZi Labs filed Form 3 as 10% owners/directors
Stake as of: 2026-09-17

Binance minority investor: Abu Dhabi's MGX invested $2B (Mar 2025), diluting founder stakeMinority (MGX) · as of Mar 2025

Twitter (now X) - $500M toward Elon Musk's 2022 takeover (2022, old)as of 2022

Investment vehicles

YZILabs Management Ltd. (British Virgin Islands)fund · CIK 0002098271

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Type: fund
Notes: Formerly Binance Labs; Zhao is sole director. Files 13D/Forms 3-4 and DFAN14A proxy materials (CEA Industries); no 13F-HR seen.

Private deals

YZi Labs exercised 7.6M pre-funded warrants in CEA Industries and raised ownership caps (CEA waived the 61-day…Sep 2026

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In full: YZi Labs exercised 7.6M pre-funded warrants in CEA Industries and raised ownership caps (CEA waived the 61-day notice); stake 19.99%
Date: 2026-09-17

YZi Labs settled its consent solicitation at CEA Industries: cooperation agreement adds three YZi nominees to a…Jun 2026

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In full: YZi Labs settled its consent solicitation at CEA Industries: cooperation agreement adds three YZi nominees to a six-member board, Alex Odagiu interim president, CEO search committee
Date: 2026-06-23

Abu Dhabi's MGX made a $2 billion minority investment in BinanceMar 2025

Binance began offering trading in US stocks and ETFsJun 2026

Legal & regulatory

Nov 21, 2023 US resolution: Binance pleaded guilty (BSA/sanctions) and paid >$4.3B; Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to…

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In full: Nov 21, 2023 US resolution: Binance pleaded guilty (BSA/sanctions) and paid >$4.3B; Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective AML program, paid $50M criminal fine and resigned as CEO; served four months (released Sept 27, 2024)

CFTC settlement (Nov 21, 2023): Binance $1.35B disgorgement + $1.35B civil penalty; Zhao $150M civil monetary penalty

Treasury settlements (Nov 21, 2023): FinCEN $3.4B and OFAC $968M; Treasury-assigned compliance monitor for five years

President Trump granted Zhao a full and unconditional pardon

Lawsuit by families of Oct 7 attack victims alleging Binance facilitated transfers to Hamas/Hezbollah (Nov 2025)

DOJ probe into Iran's alleged use of Binance to evade sanctions (reported Mar 2026); Sept 2026 report of prosecutors…

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In full: DOJ probe into Iran's alleged use of Binance to evade sanctions (reported Mar 2026); Sept 2026 report of prosecutors alleging laundering of Iranian oil proceeds

Binance blocked from a foothold in the EU (WSJ, May 2026)

Reuters: Binance gave Moscow client details used to charge a Russian over Ukraine donations (Aug 2026)

Government advisory roles: strategic adviser to Pakistan Crypto Council; adviser on digital assets to Kyrgyzstan's…

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In full: Government advisory roles: strategic adviser to Pakistan Crypto Council; adviser on digital assets to Kyrgyzstan's president (May 2025)

Giving

Giggle Academy (free children's education platform founded by Zhao; memoir royalties pledged)

Research gaps: Session WebSearch budget exhausted; Reuters, WSJ, NYT and CNBC items are cited via reference URLs listed in Wikipedia (Binance / Changpeng Zhao articles) and could not be fetched directly (403/blocked) - verify before publishing. DOJ press release page returned empty; plea facts sourced from Wikipedia plus CFTC/Treasury primary releases. No SEC person CIK for Zhao found (EDGAR name search returned nothing; he appears only as a co-reporting person under YZILabs CIK 0002098271). Exact Binance stake is a Forbes estimate; BNB holdings unquantified. No reputable real-estate, aircraft or US foundation (EIN) records verified. Status of the Treasury monitorship post-pardon unverified. UK class action (June 2026) and FINTRAC fine omitted for lack of a fetched source.

Prices via Finnhub · as of Sep 24, 2026 4:00 PM ET. For information only.

What to watch

CEA Industries (BNC): appointment of new CEO (target Aug 31, 2026 or annual meeting), mutually agreed independent…Sep 21, 2026

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In full: CEA Industries (BNC): appointment of new CEO (target Aug 31, 2026 or annual meeting), mutually agreed independent director due ~90 days after June 23, 2026, and 2026 annual meeting
When: 2026-09-21

Further YZi Labs buying/warrant exercises in CEA Industries above 19.99% (remaining 2.33M pre-funded warrants, stapled…

More

In full: Further YZi Labs buying/warrant exercises in CEA Industries above 19.99% (remaining 2.33M pre-funded warrants, stapled and advisor warrants)

DOJ Iran-sanctions investigation of Binance and IRGC laundering allegations (NYT, Sept 15, 2026)

Binance compliance monitorship (5-year Treasury monitor from Nov 2023) - any changes after the pardon

Binance's EU market access after regulatory block