Is Binance’s CZ Really Richer Than Bill Gates?

Changpeng Zhao has been ranked ahead of Bill Gates on Forbes’ 2026 billionaires list, but says the numbers are wrong.

The recently announced Forbes list of 2026 billionaires shows that Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) is now richer than tech mogul Bill Gates.

CZ came in 17th place on the magazine’s annual list of the richest people in the world, while Gates was placed far behind him in 19th place.

CZ Crosses Gates on Forbes Billionaires List

Released annually, the Forbes Billionaires List provides a real-time snapshot of the wealth of the world’s richest businessmen, investors, heirs, and celebrities. According to the Forbes website, as of March 11, 2026, the former Binance CEO has an estimated net worth of $111.1B, while Gates’ is listed at $105.7B.

The data also suggests that CZ’s wealth has been growing steadily over the past three years, thanks to his Binance-linked crypto holdings. But, on the other hand, the wealth of the technology billionaire has remained stable and tied to his Microsoft shares and philanthropic commitments.

Zhao has since responded to the piece, pointing out on social media that the information shared is inaccurate.

“You didn’t read the Forbes article, but if you just look at the little chart 👇, you know it’s wrong.”

In his X article, CZ questioned how the publication calculated the figures, pointing out that crypto prices have already fallen by more than 50% by 2026, but his reported value has increased.

Zhao also believes that Forbes’ figures are “far off.” He gave another example in to compare ByteDance’s $150 billion CEO’s net worth is $69 billion. The official Forbes website notes that the 2026 ranking was based on the calculation of stock prices and exchange rates as of March 1.

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The book also explained that it looks at different assets that a billionaire is believed to be able to control to come up with an estimate of their wealth, including shares of public companies, private businesses, real estate, art collections and other investments.

Forbes Breaks Down Its Wealth Estimates

In Zhao’s case, most of his wealth is thought to come from his ownership stake in Binance. Forbes data shows that he still owns about 90% of the market. This represents a large portion of his wealth when the company’s valuation is taken into account.

In addition, he also believes that he holds a large number of BNB tokens connected to the Binance ecosystem. CZ shared in the past that his crypto portfolio consists of about 98.5% in BNB and only 1.3% in BTC. Apart from this, the exact prices remain undisclosed.

On the other hand, Gates’ wealth was calculated in a very different way. The outlet said most of his wealth has historically been tied up in his Microsoft stake. Forbes, however, revealed that his ownership in the company has dwindled to less than 1% after years of donations and divestitures.

The tech mogul has given more than $59 billion to the hope-funded Gates Foundation over the past few years. According to Forbes, this lowered his net worth, and as a result, his inclusion in their list also decreased.