The cryptocurrency market has created some of the wealthiest individuals in the world, thanks to the rapid growth and adoption of digital assets.
These figures have amassed fortunes through founding, leading, or investing in key companies and projects that have become pillars of the crypto ecosystem. Their wealth reflects not only their business acumen, but also the transformative power of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in the global financial landscape.
Below is a detailed look at some of the richest and most influential personalities in the crypto world today.
10: Stuart Hoegner — US$ 6.2 billion
Stuart Hoegner is one of the less publicized names on the list, but has played a decisive role behind the scenes at two of the biggest companies in the crypto sector, Tether and Bitfinex. Since 2014, he has served as former general counsel for these institutions, holding a strategic position in their legal and regulatory core.
A certified accountant in Canada, Hoegner began his career at Ernst & Young before founding Gaming Counsel Professional Corporation, a law firm specialized in clients from online gambling and crypto assets industries that were still marginal at the time, but required technical knowledge and legal sensitivity.
Before fully transitioning to the crypto sector, he was also compliance director and deputy general counsel at Excapsa Software, an online poker company later involved in a cheating scandal facilitated by software, an experience that strengthened his governance and risk management skills.
Currently, Hoegner owns about 13% of Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer. The company recently earned approximately US$ 6.2 billion, mainly from interest on securities and assets backing the issuance of USDT. His stake reflects the silent, yet extremely profitable success of figures operating far from the spotlight in the cryptocurrency universe.
9: Chris Larsen — US$ 7.5 billion
Chris Larsen is co-founder and executive chairman of Ripple, a company that revolutionized the financial sector by proposing a blockchain solution for international transfers between financial institutions. Founded in 2012, Ripple aims to replace traditional and slow banking systems like SWIFT with a more efficient network based on its native token, XRP. Major institutions such as American Express and Santander are among the over 100 clients that have adopted the company’s technology.
Before Ripple, Larsen had already built a notable track record as an entrepreneur in the financial sector. In 1996, he co-founded e-Loan, one of the first online mortgage platforms in the United States. Years later, in 2005, he helped launch Prosper, a pioneer in peer-to-peer lending. These experiences shaped his vision of how technology could transform the traditional banking system, anticipating trends that now shape the crypto market.
Although he stepped down as CEO of Ripple in 2016, Larsen remained executive chairman and remains a key figure in the company’s strategic decisions. In 2019, he and his foundation donated US$ 25 million, much of it in XRP, to San Francisco State University, reinforcing his commitment to education and technological development. With a fortune estimated at US$ 7.6 billion, Larsen continues to be one of the most influential names at the intersection of crypto and traditional finance.
8: Justin Sun — US$ 8.5 billion
Justin Sun is the founder of Tron, a blockchain focused on scalability, smart contracts, and decentralizing the internet. Beyond Tron, Sun has built a crypto empire, controlling platforms such as the HTX exchange (formerly Huobi), Poloniex, and the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol. This diversity of operations positions him as one of the most active and controversial entrepreneurs in the sector.
Born in China, Sun was introduced to the crypto world in 2012 during his studies at the University of Pennsylvania, when he read an article about Bitcoin and decided to become one of the earliest adopters of the technology. Before founding Tron in 2017, he worked at Ripple, which contributed to his experience in blockchain payments. Over his career, Sun became known for bold self-promotion, including purchasing a conceptual artwork for US$ 6.2 million at Sotheby’s — a banana taped to a wall — that he later ate.
Recently, he returned to the spotlight by investing US$ 75 million in Donald Trump’s crypto company, World Liberty Financial. Despite being investigated by the SEC for market manipulation, the case was suspended in February 2025, giving him renewed momentum in the market. With an estimated fortune of US$ 8.5 billion, Justin Sun remains a polarizing, but undeniably influential figure in the global crypto ecosystem.
7: Michael Saylor — US$ 9.3 billion
Michael Saylor is the founder of MicroStrategy, a business intelligence software company, which he led as CEO until August 2022, when he became chairman of the board. Graduated in aerodynamics and astronautics from MIT, with a U.S. Air Force scholarship, Saylor’s career has been marked by both great highs and notable lows. In the 1990s, he was one of the most recognized faces of the internet bubble, reaching billionaire status during that decade.
However, his fortune was hit by a series of accounting problems that led to a financial restatement. Along with the market crash after the dot-com bubble burst, this temporarily removed him from the billionaire list. Still, his vision and willingness to take strategic risks kept him relevant in the corporate scene for decades.
In 2020, Saylor made one of the boldest moves in recent financial market history. In October of that year, he revealed he had purchased 17,732 bitcoins with his own funds, totaling about US$ 175 million. At the same time, he began directing MicroStrategy’s resources toward the same asset, turning the company into a true corporate Bitcoin treasury, accumulating over 214,400 BTC.
Thanks to this strategy, Saylor returned to the billionaire list, consolidating his image as one of the world’s main Bitcoin evangelists. His role in the crypto market goes beyond investments, he acts as one of the most influential spokespeople for the thesis that Bitcoin is the best form of protection against fiat currency devaluation and global inflation.
6: JL van der Velde — US$ 9.5 billion
JL van der Velde is the former CEO of Tether and current CEO of Bitfinex, sister companies at the heart of the crypto ecosystem. Born in the Netherlands, he moved to Taiwan in 1985 to attend university and has since built a solid career in technology, founding several startups in Asia before entering the crypto industry. His role was essential in structuring Tether as the world’s largest stablecoin issuer.
During his management, Tether achieved extraordinary profits, the company posted US$ 6.2 billion in earnings from interest on the assets backing USDT. With an estimated 20% stake in the business, Van der Velde accumulated a fortune of US$ 9.5 billion, ranking among the most discreet, yet influential names in the crypto sector. His leadership helped consolidate institutional trust in stable digital assets.
5: Paolo Ardoino — US$ 9.5 billion
Paolo Ardoino is the current CEO of Tether, the largest stablecoin issuer in the crypto market. With a programming background, Ardoino entered the sector in 2014 by joining Bitfinex, Tether’s sister company, as a senior developer. Since then, he has become one of the most influential figures in the industry, leading initiatives that expanded the global presence of USDT and strengthened its reputation in a sector where trust and liquidity are crucial.
Under his leadership, Tether posted significant profits, recently the company generated US$ 6.2 billion in revenue from interest on collateral assets. Ardoino owns an estimated 20% stake in the company, contributing to his net worth of US$ 9.5 billion. Besides his technical and strategic role, he also advocates for expanding Tether into new frontiers such as energy and decentralized digital infrastructure.
4: Brian Armstrong — US$ 12.9 billion
Brian Armstrong is the CEO and co-founder of Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States. A former Airbnb software engineer, Armstrong founded the company in 2012 alongside former trader Fred Ehrsam, with the goal of making cryptocurrencies accessible in a safe, simple, and regulated manner. Since then, Coinbase has established itself as one of the most relevant platforms in the sector, serving both novice investors and financial institutions.
In April 2021, Coinbase went public through a direct listing on Nasdaq, briefly reaching a market valuation of US$ 100 billion. This move marked one of the most symbolic moments in institutional cryptocurrency adoption, making Armstrong a central figure in the new digital economy. He owns about 19% of the company’s shares, a stake that supports most of his current fortune.
Even after Fred Ehrsam left the operation in 2017, Armstrong maintained control of Coinbase in a highly volatile and competitive market. Under his leadership, the company diversified its products, expanded internationally, and began offering more advanced solutions for large investors. Besides being an executive, Armstrong is also one of the most influential voices advocating balanced regulation and innovation in the crypto ecosystem.
3: Giancarlo Devasini — US$ 22.4 billion
Giancarlo Devasini is co-founder of Tether and chief financial officer (CFO) of Bitfinex, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. His role is decisive in managing Tether, the main stablecoin issuer in the market, which offers a digital currency pegged to the dollar and is widely used for transactions, liquidity, and investments within the crypto ecosystem.
Tether has issued over 100 billion tokens, making it the most widely used stablecoin globally. The company’s model generates revenue primarily through interest on the financial assets backing the tokens issued. Recently, the company reported an estimated profit of US$ 6.2 billion, boosted by a higher interest rate environment. Devasini owns about 47% of Tether’s shares, making him a major shareholder and a central figure in the company’s success.
Besides his financial role, Devasini is a key figure in ensuring Tether’s security and stability, despite ongoing debates and regulatory challenges surrounding stablecoins. His experience and leadership have been fundamental to establishing Tether as an essential infrastructure for the cryptocurrency market, supporting millions of daily transactions worldwide.
2: Changpeng Zhao (CZ) — US$ 65.1 billion
Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, is the founder and former CEO of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Born in China and naturalized Canadian, CZ began his career developing high-frequency trading systems for Wall Street traders, an experience that prepared him for the competitive digital financial market.
In 2017, Zhao founded Binance, which quickly became the leading global platform for buying, selling, and trading cryptocurrencies. He still owns about 90% of the exchange, as well as a large amount of BNB tokens used within the Binance ecosystem for various functions and benefits. The company revolutionized the market by offering robust services, high liquidity, and a wide range of crypto financial products.
In November 2023, CZ stepped down as CEO as part of an agreement with U.S. authorities. He pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program, paying a US$ 50 million fine, and serving four months in prison. Despite legal challenges, his influence and legacy remain strong in the crypto sector, shaping the future of digital finance.
1: Satoshi Nakamoto — US$ 112.6 billion
Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym of the person or group responsible for creating Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency, and for implementing the first blockchain protocol. In 2008, Nakamoto published the white paper detailing a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, and in 2009 launched the software that started the Bitcoin network, revolutionizing the concept of money and financial systems by proposing a decentralized and secure form of digital transactions.
The true identity of Nakamoto remains unknown, surrounded by speculation and theories, and he or they disappeared from the public scene in 2011, transferring project control to other developers. It is estimated that Satoshi holds between 750,000 and 1.1 million bitcoins, which, with the cryptocurrency’s appreciation over the years, would place him among the richest people on the planet. His legacy is the foundation of the entire crypto ecosystem and blockchain technology that today impacts the financial and technological world.
It is important to note that the valuations and net worth figures presented are based on data collected as of June 16, 2025. These figures are subject to significant fluctuations due to the highly volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market. Changes in token prices, regulatory developments, and broader market conditions can impact these estimates rapidly and unpredictably.
