The crypto asset industry continues to expand on an increasingly massive scale. Behind the surge in market capitalization and global adoption are founders and CEOs who control major exchanges, stablecoins, and core blockchain protocols.

Below are the seven wealthiest crypto figures in 2025, based on public wealth estimates, equity ownership data, and both on-chain and off-chain crypto assets.

Changpeng Zhao (Co-Founder of Binance)
Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, remains the richest individual in the crypto industry in 2025, with an estimated net worth of around US$62.9 billion. Despite stepping down as Binance CEO at the end of 2023 and resolving major legal issues with U.S. regulators, CZ still controls roughly 90% of Binance shares and holds a substantial amount of BNB.

CZ’s influence across the global crypto ecosystem remains strong. BNB continues to serve as a core asset across DeFi platforms and exchanges, securing his position at the top of the global crypto wealth rankings.

Giancarlo Devasini (Co-Founder of Tether and CFO of Bitfinex)
Giancarlo Devasini ranks second with an estimated net worth of approximately US$22.4 billion. He serves as Chief Financial Officer of Bitfinex and is a co-founder of Tether, the issuer of USDT—the world’s most actively traded stablecoin.

Holding around 47% of Tether’s equity, Devasini wields significant influence over global crypto market liquidity. Although he maintains a low public profile, his role is critical in sustaining crypto financial infrastructure, particularly in preserving USDT’s stability and circulation.

Brian Armstrong (CEO of Coinbase)
Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, is estimated to have a net worth ranging from US$9.6 billion to US$12.8 billion. His wealth primarily stems from owning approximately 14%–15% of Coinbase shares, making it highly sensitive to stock price movements.

Armstrong is widely recognized for bridging traditional finance with the Web3 ecosystem. Coinbase remains a primary gateway for institutional and retail crypto adoption in the United States, reinforcing Armstrong’s standing as one of the industry’s most influential leaders.

Michael Saylor (Chairman of Strategy)
Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy, has an estimated net worth of around US$10.1 billion. He is known as one of the most aggressive corporate advocates of Bitcoin, holding roughly 17,700 BTC personally.

As of December 2025, his company controls more than 671,268 BTC, making it the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin worldwide. The rise in Bitcoin prices and Strategy’s stock has propelled Saylor back into the ranks of the global crypto elite.

Chris Larsen (Co-Founder of Ripple Labs)
Chris Larsen is estimated to be worth between US$7 billion and US$8 billion. He co-founded Ripple and still holds approximately 2.6 billion XRP, along with a substantial equity stake in Ripple Labs.

The recovery of XRP prices and Ripple’s expansion into real-world asset tokenization have strengthened Larsen’s position in 2025. Although he stepped down as CEO in 2016, his influence in regulatory discussions and cross-border payments remains significant.

Jed McCaleb (Co-Founder of Ripple Labs and Stellar)
Jed McCaleb has an estimated net worth of around US$2.9 billion. He is widely regarded as a key technical figure in the crypto industry, having founded Mt. Gox, Ripple, and Stellar.

Most of his wealth originated from early XRP distributions and holdings in Stellar. Despite having sold nearly all of his XRP, McCaleb continues to be active in blockchain development and is also involved in space exploration initiatives through his company, Vast.

Mike Novogratz (CEO of Galaxy Digital)
Mike Novogratz rounds out the top seven with an estimated net worth of approximately US$2.7 billion. As CEO of Galaxy Digital, he controls about 54% of the company’s shares and leads one of the world’s largest crypto-focused financial institutions.

Galaxy Digital manages thousands of Bitcoins and plays a crucial role in institutional crypto adoption. Novogratz is known for his outspoken support of Bitcoin and digital assets, symbolizing Wall Street’s deepening involvement in the crypto space.