The Biggest Crypto Fortunes: Satoshi, CZ, and McCaleb Lead the Pack

Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, remains the wealthiest figure in the crypto industry, holding around 1.1 million BTC valued at over $125 billion. The data comes from an analysis by Made Visual Daily, based on on-chain information, official disclosures, and media estimates.

In second place is Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder of Binance, with an estimated 94 million BNB worth nearly $73 billion. He is followed by Jed McCaleb, co-founder of Ripple and Stellar, with peak earnings of $27 billion from his XRP holdings.

The list includes both early cryptocurrency investors and founders of exchanges and blockchain projects, such as Sam Bankman-Fried (former FTX CEO), Ross Ulbricht (Silk Road), Chris Larsen, Roger Ver, Brian Armstrong, Michael Saylor, and the Winklevoss twins.

According to the report, over half of the total value belongs to the top three individuals. Most fortunes are generated from direct cryptocurrency holdings, while equity-based wealth ranks lower.

The analysis also shows that since 2024, there have been no major new entrants to the list, due to strict regulations, token unlock schedules, and capital moving toward regulated vehicles such as spot-BTC ETFs.