Home • Digital Nomad

Crypto Kings: Meet the Top 10 Billionaires Shaping the Industry in 2024

Thu Jan 02 2025

Cryptocurrencies have created vast fortunes for those who recognized their potential early, with many of the wealthiest individuals either investing in digital assets or building essential infrastructure like exchanges. The top 10 richest crypto billionaires in 2024 collectively hold $78 billion, demonstrating the incredible financial opportunities in the industry. Despite regulatory challenges, these individuals remain at the forefront of the evolving digital economy, shaping its future.

Blockchain Capital: Top 10 Richest Crypto Billionaires of the Year

The combined wealth of the top 10 richest cryptocurrency entrepreneurs in 2024 is estimated at $78 billion. But who are these individuals, and how did they amass such fortunes?

Who Are They?

In 2024, the richest crypto billionaires include: Changpeng Zhao, Brian Armstrong, Giancarlo Devasini, Michael Saylor, Paolo Ardoino, Jean-Louis van der Velde, Chris Larsen, Fred Ehrsam, Matthew Roszak, and Jed McCaleb. Forbes provides an annual estimate of their net worths as part of the World's

Billionaires List.

Changpeng Zhao - $33 Billion Changpeng Zhao, a Canadian-Chinese entrepreneur, co-founded Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Before starting Binance in 2017, he worked at major tech firms such as Bloomberg Tradebook and Blockchain.com Zhao, although no longer running the company, retains 90% of Binance shares. Recently, a U.S. court sentenced Zhao to four months in prison for failing to properly establish anti-money laundering measures (KYC/AML) while leading Binance. He is currently serving his sentence.

Brian Armstrong - $11.2 Billion

Brian Armstrong, an American entrepreneur, founded Coinbase, the first cryptocurrency exchange to go public in 2021. Coinbase’s IPO on NASDAQ marked a significant step toward legitimizing the cryptocurrency industry. However, Coinbase has been battling a lawsuit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which claims the company has been illegally brokering securities. Bloomberg estimates Coinbase has a 70% chance of winning against the SEC.

Giancarlo Devasini - $9.2 Billion

Giancarlo Devasini, originally a plastic surgeon, is the co-founder and CFO of Tether, the issuer of the world’s most popular stablecoin, USDT. He owns 47% of Tether and profits substantially from the interest generated by USDT's collateralized assets.

Michael Saylor - $4.4 Billion

Michael Saylor is the co-founder of MicroStrategy, a U.S. software firm. In 2020, Saylor began investing MicroStrategy’s assets into Bitcoin, a strategy that has outperformed even Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. As of August 2024, MicroStrategy holds 226,500 BTC, valued at over $13.7 billion.

Paolo Ardoino - $3.9 Billion

Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, owns around 20% of the company’s shares. Ardoino started in 2014 as a senior software developer for Bitfinex, a subsidiary of Tether, and quickly rose to prominence. Jean-Louis van der Velde - $3.9 Billion Jean-Louis van der Velde, another key figure at Tether, was instrumental in launching the platform. Though no longer CEO, he remains an influential figure with 20% of Tether’s shares.

Chris Larsen - $3.2 Billion

Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple Labs and creator of XRP, remains the executive chairman of the company. Although he stepped down as CEO in 2016, he continues to be a pivotal player. Last year, the SEC dropped charges against him in the ongoing Ripple legal case concerning XRP’s status as a security.

Fred Ehrsam - $3.2 Billion

Fred Ehrsam, co-founder of both Coinbase and the crypto investment firm Paradigm, started his career at Goldman Sachs. He still sits on Coinbase’s board and holds about 4% of its shares.

Matthew Roszak - $3.1 Billion

Matthew Roszak, a venture capitalist and early Bitcoin investor, accumulated his wealth by investing in Bitcoin when it was worth only a few cents. He has also invested in Ethereum, BNB, and other successful cryptocurrencies.

Jed McCaleb - $2.9 Billion

Jed McCaleb, the founder of the first major Bitcoin exchange, MtGox, and co-founder of Ripple, made his fortune by selling 9 billion XRP coins, which he received as a co-founder. Despite leaving Ripple due to internal conflicts, McCaleb remains a significant figure in the crypto world.

Conclusion Many people have made money in the crypto industry, but the most substantial fortunes belong to those who recognized the potential of cryptocurrencies early on. While some amassed wealth through direct investments in digital assets, others built the infrastructure, such as exchanges and new coins, that has shaped the industry.