- Binance's token has been on a tear in the last 30 days.
- Changpeng Zhao's stake has swelled to at least $75 billion.
- BNB leapfrogged Solana.
After more than a year of sideways trading, Binance Coin broke an all-time high above $855 on Monday.
Its 32% July rally catapulted BNB back into the crypto top five by market capitalisation, overtaking Solana after weeks of jostling, according to CoinGecko.
The eye-watering rally also sent Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao’s estimated net worth soaring, though the precise figure is difficult to pin down.
A forensic analysis cited by Forbes and Gray Wolf Analytics in 2024 suggests the 48-year-old crypto mogul controls roughly 64% of BNB’s circulating supply, or about 90 million tokens. That alone puts his net worth near $75 billion at current prices.
90% stake
The remainder of his wealth is tied to his 90% stake in Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, which the Bloomberg Billionaires Index values at $60 billion.
Combined with his equity stake in Binance, Zhao’s fortune may exceed $100 billion, placing him on par with tycoons Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and even the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Blockchain analytics platform Arkham estimates that Satoshi controls around 1.1 million Bitcoin, or roughly 5.2% of the total supply — a stash now worth about $130 billion.
That would make them the twelfth richest person in the world, assuming the holdings remain untouched.
CZ saga
Zhao stepped down as CEO of Binance in November 2023 and then served a four-month sentence in April 2024 after pleading guilty to violating US anti-money laundering laws.
The exchange paid $4.3 billion in penalties and forfeitures for violations and agreed to a five-year compliance monitoring arrangement with the consulting firm Forensic Risk Alliance and the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell.
But with a dramatic shift in crypto policy under President Donald Trump, crypto firms such as Binance may be eyeing a return to the US.
In May, the US Securities and Exchange Commission formally dropped its civil case against both Zhao and Binance — the last major action from the SEC’s previous administration — while the Department of Justice has since disbanded its crypto enforcement task force.
Ongoing probes into Coinbase, Kraken, and others have also been paused.
Binance now appears to be quietly positioning itself for a return to the US market, reportedly holding meetings with Treasury officials and exploring partnerships with politically connected crypto firms.
Binance did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Kyle Baird is DL News’ Weekend Editor. Got a tip? Email at kbaird@dlnews.com.
