China's 10 Richest People in 2026
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming has reclaimed the title of China's richest person, his wealth up 43% on the back of AI. DeepSeek's Liang Wenfeng enters the top 10 for the first time at No. 7.
Quick Answer
Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, is China's richest person in 2026, with a net worth of 670 billion yuan (US$99.7 billion), up 43% in a year, according to the Hurun China Rich List 2026. Nongfu Spring's Zhong Shanshan is second with US$61.0 billion, followed by CATL's Zeng Yuqun (US$57.3 billion), Tencent's Ma Huateng (US$51.5 billion) and Midea's He Xiangjian and family (US$46.1 billion). The top 10 together hold US$511 billion.
This ranking uses the Hurun China Rich List 2026, published on October 27, 2026. It covers individuals worth at least 5 billion yuan (US$740 million), including entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and wealth was valued as of September 1, 2026. Hurun counts some fortunes as shared family or partner wealth, so entries such as "Li Ka-shing & Victor Li" combine holdings. US dollar figures are Hurun's own, converted at 6.72 yuan per dollar. A record 1,529 people made this year's list, 95 more than last year.
The AI effect
Three of this year's top 10 make their money from AI: Zhang Yiming (ByteDance), newcomer Liang Wenfeng (DeepSeek) and AI chip maker Chen Tianshi (Cambricon). Hurun chairman Rupert Hoogewerf said Zhang's gain came "almost all of it on the back of AI". Across the whole list, about one in ten people are active in AI. Meanwhile, for the first time ever, no mainland Chinese property developer is in the top 100.
Net worth, US$ billions (Hurun China Rich List 2026)
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026, valued as of September 1, 2026Tap any name to jump to the full breakdown below.
Ranked #10 to #1
Chen Tianshi
Beijing · age 41 · up 14%- Net worth:
- US$30.5 billion
- Category:
- Cambricon · AI chips
Chen Tianshi, co-founder of AI chip designer Cambricon, holds US$30.5 billion, up 14% from last year. He is one of three new names in this year's top 10.
At US$30.5 billion, Chen sets this year's top-10 cut-off, which is US$1.1 billion lower than last year's.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Li Ka-shing & Victor Li
Hong Kong · Li Ka-shing is 98 · up 8%- Net worth:
- US$37.6 billion
- Category:
- CK Hutchison / CK Asset · Diversified
Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing and his son Victor Li hold a combined 253 billion yuan (US$37.6 billion), up 8%. Their CK Hutchison and CK Asset groups span ports, retail, telecoms, infrastructure and property.
At 98, Li Ka-shing is the oldest self-made entrepreneur on the entire list.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Ding Lei
Hangzhou · down 14%- Net worth:
- US$40.9 billion
- Category:
- NetEase · Internet and gaming
Ding Lei, founder of the online gaming and internet company NetEase, holds US$40.9 billion, down 14% from last year.
Ding is one of three people in this top 10 based in Hangzhou, alongside Zhong Shanshan and Liang Wenfeng.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Liang Wenfeng
Hangzhou · age 41 · new to the list- Net worth:
- US$41.7 billion
- Category:
- DeepSeek · AI
Liang Wenfeng, founder of AI company DeepSeek, debuts at No. 7 with 280 billion yuan (US$41.7 billion). He is one of three new entrants to this year's top 10.
Liang is the only person in this top 10 who is new to the Hurun list altogether; the other two newcomers moved up from lower ranks.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Chen Jianhua & Fan Hongwei
Suzhou · up 59%- Net worth:
- US$44.9 billion
- Category:
- Hengli · Chemicals and shipbuilding
Chen Jianhua and Fan Hongwei, of the Hengli group, hold US$44.9 billion, up 59%, entering the top 10.
Their 59% rise is the biggest percentage gain in this top 10, ahead even of Zhang Yiming's 43%.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
He Xiangjian & family
Foshan · up 12%- Net worth:
- US$46.1 billion
- Category:
- Midea · Home appliances
He Xiangjian and family, founders of appliance maker Midea, hold US$46.1 billion, up 12% from last year.
He Xiangjian and family are about US$1.2 billion ahead of Chen Jianhua & Fan Hongwei in sixth.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Ma Huateng
Shenzhen · age 55 · down 26%- Net worth:
- US$51.5 billion
- Category:
- Tencent · Internet and gaming
Ma Huateng, also known as Pony Ma, co-founder of Tencent, holds 346 billion yuan (US$51.5 billion), down 26% from last year.
Ma's 26% fall is the biggest percentage drop in this top 10.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Zeng Yuqun
Ningde · age 58 · up 17%- Net worth:
- US$57.3 billion
- Category:
- CATL · Batteries
Zeng Yuqun, also known as Robin Zeng, founder of electric-vehicle battery maker CATL, holds 385 billion yuan (US$57.3 billion), up 17%.
Zeng is only about US$3.7 billion behind Zhong Shanshan in second place.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Zhong Shanshan
Hangzhou · age 72 · down 23%- Net worth:
- US$61.0 billion
- Category:
- Nongfu Spring · Bottled water and drinks
Zhong Shanshan, founder of bottled-water giant Nongfu Spring, drops to second with 410 billion yuan (US$61.0 billion), down 23% from last year.
Zhong lost the No. 1 spot to Zhang Yiming, who is now about US$38.7 billion ahead of him.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
Zhang Yiming
Lives in Singapore · age 43 · up 43%- Net worth:
- US$99.7 billion
- Category:
- ByteDance · AI and internet
Zhang Yiming, the founder of TikTok owner ByteDance, is back at No. 1 with 670 billion yuan (US$99.7 billion), up 43% in a year. Hurun chairman Rupert Hoogewerf said the gain came "almost all of it on the back of AI".
Zhang's fortune alone is about one-fifth of the top 10's combined US$511 billion.
Source: Hurun China Rich List 2026
What the numbers tell us
Zhang Yiming is worth about 1.6 times second-place Zhong Shanshan. Three of the top 10 are new this year (Chen Jianhua & Fan Hongwei, Liang Wenfeng and Chen Tianshi), while Lei Jun of Xiaomi, Huang Zheng of PDD and Eric Li Shufu & family dropped out. Across the full list, a record 1,529 people are worth at least US$740 million.
- Data period:
- Hurun China Rich List 2026, wealth valued as of September 1, 2026, published October 27, 2026
- Last updated:
- October 28, 2026
- Sources:
- Hurun Report, Hurun China Rich List 2026 (primary source), with figures cross-checked against Jing Daily and BigGo Finance reports of the same list.
People are ranked by net worth as published by Hurun, valued as of September 1, 2026. US dollar figures are Hurun's, converted at US$1 = 6.72 yuan; yuan figures are shown where Hurun's coverage reported them. Some news outlets converted at different rates, so their dollar figures differ slightly (for example, US$100.5 billion for Zhang Yiming). Percentage changes compare each person's wealth with last year's Hurun list. Gaps, shares and ratios are calculated by Viszlyn from Hurun's US dollar figures and then rounded. Hurun counts some fortunes as family or partner wealth.
Figures marked as estimates are based on publicly available information and may vary from other published sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, with 670 billion yuan (US$99.7 billion), according to the Hurun China Rich List 2026. His wealth rose 43% in a year.