Yeliz Akmaca 
The crypto market made a powerful comeback in 2025. Global capitalization surged to $3.8 trillion, creating new billionaires and expanding the fortunes of existing ones. At the center of this boom stand the leaders of exchanges, stablecoins and protocols. Here are the top 10 richest crypto CEOs and founders of 2025.
Who tops the crypto billionaire list in 2025?
At number one is Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. CZ’s fortune is estimated at $62.9 billion. His 90% stake in Binance and massive BNB holdings fuel his wealth. Although he stepped down as CEO in 2023, his dominance in the crypto sector remains unrivaled.
Second place belongs to Giancarlo Devasini, the financial architect behind Tether and Bitfinex. With a 47% stake in Tether, his net worth climbed to $22.4 billion. As the key force behind USDT liquidity, Devasini quietly wields enormous influence over global crypto trading.
Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, ranks third. His 14–15% stake in the company pushes his fortune between $9.6 billion and $12.8 billion. Armstrong continues to bridge traditional finance with Web3 adoption, making him one of the industry’s most recognized faces.
Michael Saylor takes fourth place with a net worth of $10.1 billion. Through Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), he oversees 628,000 BTC worth over $72 billion. His relentless Bitcoin advocacy still shapes investor confidence.
Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen returned to the list with $7–8 billion in wealth. Thanks to XRP’s recovery and Ripple’s expansion into tokenized assets, Larsen remains an influential voice in payments and regulation.
Other crypto billionaires shaping 2025
Stellar founder Jed McCaleb follows with an estimated $2.9 billion fortune. His legacy includes Mt. Gox, Ripple and now Stellar, while he also develops his aerospace startup Vast.
Mike Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy Digital, holds $2.7 billion. His company manages institutional crypto investments and owns over 17,000 BTC, keeping him a central player in digital finance.
Barry Silbert, founder of Digital Currency Group, is worth $3–3.2 billion. Early bets on Bitcoin, Ethereum and numerous startups secured his place despite DCG’s past challenges.
Entertainment-driven crypto wealth appears with Bijan Tehrani, co-founder of Stake.com. His net worth sits at $2.8 billion, built on crypto-powered betting platforms and global sponsorships.
Finally, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin holds around 278,000 ETH worth $1.025 billion. While not a CEO, he remains the intellectual leader of Ethereum and Web3’s most influential builder.
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