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Bitcoin’s historic surge to $100K in 2024 marked a significant milestone, propelling the entire crypto market to new heights. This event not only solidified the position of cryptocurrency as a digital asset, but also significantly boosted the overall wealth of the crypto industry, known for creating some of the richest people in the world.
This study dives into the wealth of these crypto billionaires, examining how their net worth has changed from the impact of Bitcoin’s surge. In particular, we analyzed the top crypto billionaires in terms of net worth, their sources of wealth sources, and their countries. Additionally, this study highlights the rapid growth in the number of crypto millionaires and billionaires.
How Many Crypto Billionaires Are There in the World?
According to the Crypto Wealth Report from Henley & Partners, the world has seen significant growth in crypto wealth. The number of crypto billionaires climbed by 27% over the past year, reaching a total of 28. Bitcoin billionaires have experienced even more substantial growth, with their number rising by 83% to 11.
The number of crypto millionaires saw a large increase, growing by 95% in 2024. This is slightly less than the 111% rise in Bitcoin millionaires, reflecting how the surging price of Bitcoin continues to drive wealth creation. With Bitcoin’s price exceeding $100,000, owning less than 10 bitcoins is now enough to make someone a crypto millionaire.
Which Country Has the Most Crypto Billionaires?
The United States leads in crypto wealth, with two-thirds of all crypto billionaires based there. This dominance reflects the country’s strong influence in the crypto industry, including major exchanges, blockchain innovation, and investment.
Notable crypto billionaires from the United States include Brian Armstrong, Michael Saylor, Chris Larsen, and the Winklevoss twins, Tyler and Cameron.
Countries like Italy and Canada also contribute significantly to the billionaire list, with figures like Giancarlo Devasini, Paolo Ardoino, and Stuart Hoegner.
Here is a list of notable crypto billionaires and their countries:
| Name | Country/Territory |
| Changpeng Zhao | Canada |
| Brian Armstrong | United States |
| Michael Saylor | United States |
| Giancarlo Devasini | Italy |
| Chris Larsen | United States |
| Fred Ehrsam | United States |
| Jean-Louis van der Velde | Netherlands |
| Paolo Ardoino | Italy |
| Jed McCaleb | United States |
| Tyler Winklevoss | United States |
| Cameron Winklevoss | United States |
| Michael Novogratz | United States |
| Stuart Hoegner | Canada |
| Tim Draper | United States |
| Matthew Roszak | United States |
How Much Do Crypto Billionaires Gain After Bitcoin Surge?
The Bitcoin surge in 2024 has significantly increased the wealth of the world’s top crypto billionaires. Collectively, their net worth grew by $50.8 billion, marking a 79.25% increase between March 2024 and December 2024.
Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, saw the largest dollar increase in wealth. His net worth rose from $33 billion in March to $67.8 billion by December, adding $34.8 billion, a 105.45% growth.
The net worth of the 3 largest gainers all increased more than double compared to March 2024.
Meanwhile, Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple, experienced the highest percentage increase. His net worth surged by an impressive 159.38%, jumping from $3.2 billion to $8.3 billion over nine months.
Here are the breakdown of top crypto billionaire gainers:
| Name | Source of Wealth | Change |
| Changpeng Zhao | Binance | $34.8 B (105.45%) |
| Michael Saylor | MicroStrategy, Bitcoin | $6.3 B (143.18%) |
| Chris Larsen | Ripple, XRP | $5.1 B (159.38%) |
| Brian Armstrong | Coinbase | $3.7 B (33.04%) |
| Fred Ehrsam | Coinbase | $0.9 B (29.03%) |
| Totals | $50.8 B (79.25%) | |
Who Are the Richest Crypto Billionaires Now?
Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, is the richest crypto billionaire with a net worth of $67.8 billion. His wealth is more than 3.5 times that of the second-richest crypto billionaire, Brian Armstrong, whose net worth stands at $14.9 billion.
Zhao is also the second-youngest billionaire globally, after Mark Zuckerberg, with a net worth exceeding $60 billion.
Other notable figures include Michael Saylor of MicroStrategy, with a net worth of $10.7 billion, and Giancarlo Devasini of Tether, who holds $9.2 billion. Ripple’s Chris Larsen is also among the top, with a net worth of $8.3 billion.
Here is the breakdown of top crypto billionaire at the time of writing:
| Name | Source of Wealth | Net Worth |
| Changpeng Zhao | Binance | $67.8 B |
| Brian Armstrong | Coinbase | $14.9 B |
| Michael Saylor | MicroStrategy, Bitcoin | $10.7 B |
| Giancarlo Devasini | Tether | $9.2 B |
| Chris Larsen | Ripple, XRP | $8.3 B |
| Fred Ehrsam | Coinbase | $4 B |
| Jean-Louis van der Velde | Tether | $3.9 B |
| Paolo Ardoino | Tether | $3.9 B |
| Jed McCaleb | Stellar | $2.9 B |
Tether plays a significant role in the crypto billionaire landscape, accounting for one-third of the top list. However, Tether-related billionaires, such as Giancarlo Devasini, Jean-Louis van der Velde, and Paolo Ardoino, did not see significant additions to their wealth in 2024, indicating a relatively stable performance.
Our Methodology
Our data collection focuses on identifying billionaires whose primary source of wealth is derived from cryptocurrency. We rely on the Forbes tracking database to gather detailed information about their net worth. The methodology involves comparing and calculating both real-time data (as of December 5, 2024) and previously recorded data (from March 8, 2024). Some billionaires were not included in our report as their data was incomplete.
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