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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChangpeng Zhao ranked above Bill Gates on the 2026 Forbes billionaires list, but he says the figures are wrong.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Forbes\u2019 newly announced 2026 Billionaires list shows that Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) is now richer than tech mogul Bill Gates.<\/p>\n
CZ came in 17th place in the magazine\u2019s annual ranking of the richest people in the world, while Gates is placed not far from him at 19th.<\/p>\n
Released annually, the Forbes Billionaires List provides<\/a> a real-time snapshot of the wealth of the most prolific entrepreneurs, investors, heirs, and celebrities worldwide.\u00a0According to Forbes\u2019s website, as of March 11, 2026, the former Binance executive has a net worth of $111.1B, while Gates\u2019 is listed as $105.7B.<\/p>\n The data also suggests that CZ\u2019s wealth has been growing steadily over the past three years, thanks to his Binance-linked crypto holdings. But, on the other hand, the tech billionaire\u2019s riches have remained relatively stable and are tied to his Microsoft shares and philanthropic commitments.<\/p>\n Zhao has since responded to the piece, outlining on social media that the information shared is inaccurate.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t read the Forbes article, but if you just look at the little chart \ud83d\udc47, you know it\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In his X post, CZ questioned<\/a> how the publication calculated the figures, pointing out that crypto prices had already fallen<\/a> by more than 50% in 2026, yet his reported net worth had increased.<\/p>\n Zhao also believes that Forbes\u2019 calculations are \u201cway off.\u201d He gave another example by comparing<\/a> ByteDance\u2019s $150 billion valuation to its former CEO\u2019s $69 billion net worth.\u00a0The Forbes official website notes that the 2026 ranking was based on calculations of stock prices and exchange rates as of March 1.<\/p>\n The publication also explained that it looks at the different assets a billionaire is believed to control to come up with a gauge of their wealth, including stakes in public companies, private businesses, real estate, art collections, and other investments.<\/p>\n In Zhao\u2019s case, most of his assumed wealth is believed<\/a> to originate from his ownership stake in Binance. Forbes\u2019 data shows that he still owns roughly 90% of the exchange. This represents a huge share of his fortune if the company\u2019s valuation is taken into account.<\/p>\n On top of that, he is also believed to hold a large amount of BNB tokens linked to the Binance ecosystem. CZ has shared<\/a> in the past that his crypto portfolio contains about 98.5% in BNB and only 1.3% in BTC. Despite this, the exact amounts remain undisclosed.<\/p>\n Gates\u2019 wealth, on the other hand, was calculated very differently. The outlet said that most of his fortune has historically been tied to his stake in Microsoft. Forbes, however, revealed<\/a> that his ownership in the firm has dropped to less than 1% after years of donations and asset diversification.<\/p>\n The tech mogul has given more than $59 billion to the trust that funds the Gates Foundation over the past couple of years. According to Forbes, this has reduced his overall net worth, and as a result, his placement on their list has also dropped.<\/p>\n LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link<\/a> to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p><\/div>\n\n
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