The collective wealth of China’s 100 wealthiest individuals, as listed in Forbes’ 2025 ranking, has surged by $320 billion. Their combined fortune now totals $1.35 trillion, up from $1.03 trillion last year. The remarkable growth is driven by a stock market rally and expectations of more government support for China’s struggling economy. Two-thirds of the billionaires have seen their wealth increase, supported by a 15% rise in the CSI 300 index since last year’s assessment.
Zhong Shanshan, the founder of Nongfu Spring, remains at the top for the fifth year in a row, adding $26.3 billion to reach a total of $77.1 billion. His wealth grew significantly due to strong revenue and profit growth in the first half of 2025. Zhang Yiming, cofounder of ByteDance, moved up to second place with a $23.7 billion increase, now worth $69.3 billion. TikTok’s success, especially after securing a new partnership structure to avoid a U.S. ban, was a key factor in his rise.
Ma Huateng, the head of Tencent, slipped to third place, though his fortune grew by more than 30%, reaching $62.8 billion. This increase was driven by a 40% jump in Tencent’s stock, fueled by a boost in gaming and advertising revenues from WeChat. CATL’s Robin Zeng is now in fourth place, with his wealth rising $16.4 billion to $53.5 billion. NetEase’s William Ding rounds out the top five, reaching $47.5 billion, up from $27.4 billion last year.
AI Stocks Lead to Big Gains for China’s Tech Moguls
The biggest percentage gain went to Pop Mart’s Wang Ning, who saw his wealth multiply by more than four times. His fortune surged to $22.2 billion, propelled by the global popularity of Labubu collectibles. Cambricon Technologies’ Chen Tianshi, known as “China’s Nvidia,” tripled his wealth to $21 billion. The AI chipmaker’s first profitable half-year after its 2020 IPO contributed to this surge.
However, not all fortunes saw an increase. Meituan’s Wang Xing, for example, experienced a major decline. His wealth dropped by over 40%, falling to $8.4 billion, due to intense competition from Alibaba and JD.com. This shows the volatile nature of the tech market, despite overall growth.
New faces in the top 100 include Liang Wenfeng, founder of DeepSeek, who debuted at No. 34 with $11.5 billion. DeepSeek’s launch of a low-cost AI model in January sparked a surge in Chinese tech stocks. Zhou Chaonan, founder of Range Intelligent Computing, entered the list at No. 85 with $5.3 billion, buoyed by the rise in data centers.
Shifting Fortunes Reflect China’s Tech Boom and Challenges
Several former members of the list have fallen off due to various factors. Wang Jianlin, previously a front-runner with Dalian Wanda Group, saw his wealth diminish as his property empire faced a liquidity crunch. As a result, the entry threshold for the 100 richest individuals increased to $4.6 billion from $3.9 billion the previous year.
The list reflects the continued dominance of technology in China’s wealth-building sector, particularly the rapid expansion of AI. The rising fortunes of AI-focused companies are a testament to the sector’s growing impact on China’s economy. Investors are keenly watching the performance of these AI stocks as they continue to shape the financial landscape.
The Top 10 Richest in China (2025)
- Zhong Shanshan – $77.1 billion
- Zhang Yiming – $69.3 billion
- Ma Huateng – $62.8 billion
- Robin Zeng – $53.5 billion
- William Ding – $47.5 billion
- Colin Huang – $45.3 billion
- Lei Jun – $36.8 billion
- Jack Ma – $31 billion
- He Xiangjian – $29.8 billion
- Zheng Shuliang – $25.4 billion
The rapid rise in AI-related stocks continues to reshape China’s wealth landscape, highlighting the growing influence of technology in driving economic success. As AI and tech companies dominate the financial markets, their fortunes are increasingly tied to innovations in artificial intelligence, which has become a key sector for investment. The substantial gains among China’s wealthiest individuals reflect not just their personal success, but also the broader transformation of China’s economy, as it pivots toward technology and digital advancements.
However, the volatility seen in the markets, particularly with some tech stocks experiencing setbacks, is a reminder of the risks involved. The ability of AI companies to maintain their momentum will be crucial in determining whether these remarkable gains are sustainable. Investors will be closely watching how government policies, global market conditions, and emerging technologies like AI continue to impact the fortunes of the nation’s richest individuals.
