Crypto millionaires: stories of those who never give up

Whether you’re bullish or bearish on Bitcoin, or a long-term believer in Ethereum, these are the individuals who’ve transformed their lives through innovation, persistence and timing. As of November 2025, there are around 241,700 crypto millionaires worldwide, including around 295 million Bitcoin wallet holders (Henley & Partners, 30 June 2025). The figure continues to rise each year as digital assets gain both institutional and retail traction.

Cryptocurrencies remain among the most transformative developments in modern finance. Market sentiment may shift, but participation continues to grow globally. The people listed below have helped shape this evolution – through technical breakthroughs, business foresight and resilience in an ever-changing market.

Top 25 crypto millionaires

1. Satoshi Nakamoto – $129 billion

Satoshi Nakamoto remains the most influential and elusive figure in cryptocurrency history. As the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, Nakamoto introduced a decentralised digital currency that transformed the global financial landscape. Their estimated 1.1 million BTC holdings, untouched since Bitcoin’s early years, symbolise long-term conviction rather than speculation. Bitcoin’s resilience through market shifts and regulation underscores its role as a potential store of value, though not a guaranteed one.

Nakamoto’s 2008 whitepaper not only inspired technological progress but also a movement towards greater financial autonomy. Despite their anonymity, Satoshi’s legacy continues through the open-source development of Bitcoin and the broader blockchain ecosystem.

2. Changpeng Zhao (CZ) – $62.9 billion

Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, built Binance into the world’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume. The Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur sold his house in 2013 to enter the crypto space – an early indication of confidence in the sector. Under his leadership, Binance became synonymous with efficiency and accessibility.

Despite facing regulatory challenges and stepping down as CEO in 2023, Zhao’s influence persists through his BNB and Binance equity holdings. His pragmatic approach to compliance has helped sustain Binance’s international presence. Beyond business, CZ has advocated for blockchain education and sustainable technology, illustrating that innovation and accountability can align.

3. Giancarlo Devasini – $22.4 billion

Giancarlo Devasini, CFO of Bitfinex and Tether, is regarded as one of crypto’s most discreet yet impactful figures. Originally trained as a surgeon, he transitioned to technology and finance, helping Tether become the leading global stablecoin.

Operating from Switzerland, Devasini has overseen Tether’s rise as a major liquidity provider for the digital asset market. His emphasis on reserve transparency and operational discipline has been key to maintaining Tether’s market stability. While questions around transparency remain, Tether’s consistent ability to maintain its US dollar peg suggests careful financial management.

4. Jed McCaleb – $27.1 billion

Jed McCaleb has left a lasting mark on blockchain through his involvement with Ripple and Stellar. After co-founding Ripple, he launched Stellar to promote a more open and inclusive global payment network.

McCaleb’s deep understanding of peer-to-peer systems helped shape both platforms into major players in cross-border transactions. His structured approach to selling XRP holdings reduced market disruption and contributed to price stability. Stellar’s adoption by financial institutions highlights McCaleb’s commitment to interoperability and access.

5. Chris Larsen – $15.6 billion

Chris Larsen, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Ripple, remains a driving force in digital payments. With experience in fintech and a vision to link blockchain and traditional finance, Larsen has helped Ripple’s technology gain traction with global banks.

Despite past legal challenges, Ripple’s partnerships in 2025 have strengthened its position in cross-border payments. Larsen’s work demonstrates the long-term potential of blockchain in improving global transaction efficiency.

6. Roger Ver – $15.1 billion

Roger Ver, often called 'Bitcoin Jesus', was one of Bitcoin’s earliest backers. He invested heavily in startups and later became a key advocate for Bitcoin Cash, aimed at enhancing scalability and speed.

Although his views have at times divided the crypto community, Ver’s early investments and promotion of financial decentralisation played an important role in shaping the early crypto economy.

7. Brian Armstrong – $12.8 billion

Brian Armstrong, CEO and co-founder of Coinbase, helped bridge the gap between crypto and traditional finance. Under his leadership, Coinbase became the first major exchange to go public, increasing institutional confidence in the sector.

Armstrong’s continued focus on transparency, regulation and user education has positioned Coinbase as one of the most recognised and compliant crypto exchanges.

8. Li Xiaolai – $11.5 billion

Li Xiaolai, once an English teacher, became one of China’s earliest Bitcoin investors. Through his firm, Bitfund, he supported numerous blockchain projects, contributing to the growth of Asia’s digital asset landscape.

His career shift from education to investment highlights the adaptability and foresight that characterise early participants in emerging markets.

9. Michael Saylor – $10.1 billion

Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy, is best known for converting significant company reserves into Bitcoin, pioneering corporate-level crypto adoption. His firm remains one of the largest institutional holders of BTC.

While this strategy has faced market headwinds, Saylor continues to champion Bitcoin as a long-term reserve asset, emphasising disciplined risk management and corporate strategy.

10. Jean-Louis van der Velde – $9.5 billion

Jean-Louis van der Velde, CEO of Bitfinex, has guided the company through years of growth and regulatory scrutiny. His expertise in finance and technology has strengthened trading infrastructure and liquidity operations, helping Bitfinex maintain its position in a competitive market.

The rest of the top crypto millionaires (ranks 11–25)

11. Paolo Ardoino – $9.5 billion

CEO of Tether and CTO of Bitfinex, Ardoino leads technical development across both platforms, focusing on transparency and renewable-energy initiatives.

12. Tim Draper – $3.4 billion

A veteran venture capitalist and founder of Draper Associates, Draper was an early Bitcoin buyer at government auctions, becoming a long-time advocate of blockchain innovation.

13. Justin Sun – $8.5–12.5 billion

Founder of TRON and Poloniex, Sun remains active in decentralised finance. His diverse investments and partnerships reflect a broad interest in the sector’s long-term potential.

14. Vitalik Buterin – $1.2 billion

Ethereum’s co-founder, Buterin continues to influence blockchain development through his emphasis on open-source governance and sustainable scaling solutions.

15 .Matthew Roszak – $1 billion

Co-founder of Bloq, Roszak invests in infrastructure and education projects, supporting early enterprise adoption of blockchain technologies.

16. Brock Pierce – $1 billion

As a director of the Bitcoin Foundation, Pierce has invested in multiple early-stage crypto projects, contributing to the growth of blockchain entrepreneurship worldwide.

17. Brendan Blumer – $700 million

CEO of Block.one, Blumer promotes enterprise-level blockchain adoption through EOS.IO and related technologies.

18. Barry Silbert – $500 million

Founder of Digital Currency Group and Grayscale, Silbert connects institutional investors with crypto markets, bridging traditional and digital finance.

19. Jihan Wu – $2 billion

Co-founder of Bitmain, Wu pioneered Bitcoin mining hardware, enhancing efficiency and global access to mining infrastructure.

20. Rain Lõhmus – $919 million

Founder of LHV Bank, Lõhmus lost access to 250,000 ETH – a notable example of the security risks linked to digital asset storage.

21. James Howells – $923 million

A British engineer who misplaced a hard drive containing 8,000 BTC. His story highlights the importance of secure key management in crypto investing.

22. Song Chi-Hyung – $500 million

Founder of Upbit and CEO of Dunamu, Song has played a key role in South Korea’s crypto market expansion.

23. Adam Back – not publicly disclosed

Co-founder of Blockstream and creator of Hashcash, Back’s cryptographic research forms the foundation of Bitcoin’s proof-of-work mechanism.

24. Gavin Andresen – not publicly disclosed

As Bitcoin Core’s former lead developer, Andresen helped maintain and refine Bitcoin’s early software infrastructure.

25. Elizabeth Stark – not publicly disclosed

CEO of Lightning Labs, Stark leads efforts to scale Bitcoin transactions through the Lightning Network, improving transaction speed and efficiency.

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