Forbes has revealed the world’s wealthiest crypto investors, a group that amassed fortunes primarily through creating major cryptocurrency ventures and exchanges. These platforms allow users to exchange bitcoin for cash or other digital currencies. This elite list also includes early investors and miners who profited immensely by holding onto their assets through market volatility. Their shared secret seems to be “HODL,” or holding on for dear life, a strategy of not selling their coins during downturns.
The Exchange Founders: Building the Crypto Marketplace
A significant portion of crypto wealth comes from building the infrastructure where the magic happens. These individuals created the most popular platforms for buying, selling, and trading digital assets.
Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam co-founded Coinbase in 2012. Armstrong, the CEO, saw his wealth multiply six times in the last year alone as Coinbase became the leading crypto exchange in the U.S., with over $1 billion in sales. Ehrsam, who left the company in 2017 but remains on the board, holds a 6% stake worth an estimated $1.9 billion.
Similarly, Changpeng Zhao, the creator of Binance, has a net worth of $1.9 billion. His exchange grew rapidly as crypto adoption soared worldwide, and Zhao is believed to own about 30% of the company. This demonstrates that providing a reliable place for people to exchange Bitcoin for cash can be incredibly profitable.
The Winklevoss twins, Cameron and Tyler, famously used part of their $65 million settlement from Facebook to invest heavily in bitcoin. They then founded the Gemini crypto exchange and acquired the digital art auction platform Nifty Gateway, solidifying their place in the digital asset world.
Early Adopters and Visionary Investors
Getting in early and believing in the technology before it was popular is another proven path to immense wealth. These investors saw the potential of cryptocurrency long before the mainstream media caught on.
Tim Draper is a prime example. In 2014, he made a bold move by purchasing $18.7 million worth of Bitcoin seized from the defunct Silk Road marketplace. Those coins, which he chose not to exchange for cash, are now worth a staggering $1.5 billion.
Matthew Roszak, a long-term crypto evangelist, discovered Bitcoin in 2011. His early purchases have since ballooned to a value of $1.5 billion. He now serves as the chairman of Bloq, a blockchain technology firm, and continues to invest in new crypto companies.
| Name(s) | Estimated Net Worth | Primary Venture / Source of Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Saylor | $2.3 Billion | MicroStrategy CEO, early Bitcoin investor |
| Changpeng Zhao | $1.9 Billion | Founder of Binance |
| Fred Ehrsam | $1.9 Billion | Co-founder of Coinbase |
| Winklevoss Twins | $65 Million (initial) | Early Bitcoin investors, founders of Gemini |
| Matthew Roszak | $1.5 Billion | Early crypto purchases, Chairman of Bloq |
| Tim Draper | $1.5 Billion | Purchased seized Bitcoin from Silk Road |
The Trading and Asset Management Gurus
Beyond simply buying and holding, some of the richest people in crypto built sophisticated financial systems around digital assets.
Sam Bankman-Fried established the quantitative trading firm Alameda Research and the popular derivatives exchange FTX. His ventures, which facilitate complex crypto trades, have earned him an estimated net worth of $1 billion. He also gained notoriety for his $5 million donation to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Barry Silbert founded the Digital Currency Group (DCG) in 2015, a conglomerate that has become a pillar of the crypto industry. DCG’s power comes from its strategic ownership of key crypto companies. Its holdings include:
- Grayscale, an asset management firm that manages $44 billion in Bitcoin, Ether, and other assets.
- CoinDesk, a major cryptocurrency media outlet.
This portfolio approach gives Silbert influence across multiple sectors of the crypto economy.
The Ripple Effect: Founders of a New Coin
While Bitcoin gets most of the attention, creating a new and successful cryptocurrency is another way to the top. The founders of Ripple and its XRP currency are proof of this.
Chris Larsen, the chairman and co-founder of Ripple, saw his wealth increase by $800 million as the value of XRP grew. He owns a 17.5% stake in Ripple Labs and holds around 3 billion XRP tokens.
Jed McCaleb, another Ripple co-founder, holds an even larger amount of XRP, with his 3.4 billion tokens forming the bulk of his fortune. After disagreements with his Ripple colleagues, he went on to create Stellar Lumens, another successful cryptocurrency.
A Common Trait of the Crypto Wealthy: The “HODL” Mentality
What do all these billionaires have in common? A core belief in holding onto their assets. The term “HODL” (hold on for dear life) originated as a typo in an old forum but has become a guiding principle for serious investors. It means resisting the urge to sell during market panics or downturns.
This strategy of not exchanging Bitcoin for cash, but rather exchanging cash for Bitcoin, is a recurring theme among the ultra-rich. They treated their initial crypto purchases as long-term investments in a revolutionary technology, not as a get-rich-quick scheme. Their patience has clearly paid off.
Notable Figures Not on the Main List
Two major names often come up in conversations about crypto wealth but are not on this specific list for different reasons.
Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, is thought to hold around 1 million BTC. Based on current prices, this could make Nakamoto’s net worth as high as $59 billion, which would easily make them the richest person in crypto. However, since their identity is unknown and the coins have never moved, they are not included in official wealth lists.
Elon Musk is also a well-known crypto proponent, but many see him as a supporter of the technology rather than a core investor or builder in the same vein as the others on the list. While he is a crypto millionaire, his primary wealth comes from his ventures like Tesla and SpaceX.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Richest People in Crypto
Who is the richest person in crypto?
While the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, is potentially the wealthiest with a net worth that could be over $50 billion, they are not officially recognized. Among the known figures, individuals like Michael Saylor and the founders of major exchanges like Coinbase and Binance top the list.
How do most crypto millionaires make their money?
The most common paths to crypto wealth are creating foundational companies like cryptocurrency exchanges (e.g., Coinbase, Binance), being an early investor who bought and held currencies like Bitcoin, and creating new, successful cryptocurrencies like XRP.
What does HODL mean for crypto investors?
HODL stands for “hold on for dear life.” It is a philosophy of holding onto your cryptocurrency investments through market highs and lows, resisting the temptation to sell during price drops. This long-term strategy has been a key factor in the success of many of the wealthiest crypto investors.
Are all famous investors like Warren Buffett against crypto?
No, but many traditional financial experts are. Warren Buffett has famously warned against investing in cryptocurrencies, believing they will have a bad ending. However, a new generation of wealthy investors, as seen on this list, strongly believes that digital assets are the future of money.
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