The combined net worth of the five richest billionaires in China has seen a significant increase, rising by 38% compared to the previous year, reaching a total of US$310.2 billion according to the latest Forbes’ China 100 Richest list. This highlights the continued growth and influence of these business leaders in the Chinese economy.
1. Zhong Shanshan – Founder of Nongfu Spring
Zhong Shanshan, Chairman of Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd., delivers a speech at a press conference in Beijing, China, May 6, 2013. Photo by Imaginechina via AFP
Zhong Shanshan’s wealth is primarily derived from Nongfu Spring, a leading packaged water supplier in China that he founded in 1996. The company’s performance in the first half of 2025 was impressive, with earnings reaching 7.6 billion yuan (US$1.1 billion) on revenues of 25.6 billion yuan, showing a 23% and 16% year-on-year increase, respectively.
This marked the highest profit levels since at least 2019, indicating a strong recovery for the brand after facing a consumer boycott the previous year over alleged design elements inspired by Japan and its impact on a local rival.
Zhong, who is 70 years old, saw his net worth jump from $50.8 billion to $77.1 billion in the latest ranking, securing his position as the richest billionaire in China for the fifth consecutive year. The latest valuation was measured as of October 17, 2025.
2. Zhang Yiming – Founder of ByteDance
Zhang Yiming, founder of ByteDance, speaks at a forum during the 2nd World Internet Conference in east China’s Zhejiang province, Dec. 17, 2015. Photo by Imaginechina via AFP
Zhang Yiming, the founder of tech giant ByteDance, has seen his net worth rise significantly due to the company’s success. The popular short video app TikTok narrowly avoided a potential shutdown in the U.S. earlier this year when President Donald Trump approved a plan requiring the platform’s American operations to be placed under a new joint venture backed by U.S. investors.
Under the agreement, a consortium led by Oracle will manage TikTok’s data, infrastructure, and regulatory compliance in the country. ByteDance will retain a 20% stake and receive half of the U.S. profits while keeping its key algorithm technology in China.
This deal has spurred private trades of ByteDance shares, with valuations rising to around $350 billion, up from $300 billion earlier in the year. Zhang, who is 41 years old, saw his net worth increase by nearly 52% to $69.3 billion.
3. Ma Huateng – CEO and Chairman of Tencent Holdings
Ma Huateng, co-founder, CEO and chairman of Tencent Holdings. Photo by Reuters
Ma Huateng, also known as Pony Ma, co-founded Tencent Holdings in 1998. The company is best known for its WeChat social messaging app and for being one of the largest video game publishers globally.
Over the past year, Tencent’s share price has climbed more than 40%, driven by stronger online gaming revenue and increased advertising on its superapp Weixin, which is known as WeChat in China. The company has also been investing heavily in artificial intelligence.
Ma’s wealth has grown by more than a third to $62.8 billion, although he dropped a spot to third place on the list.
4. Robin Zeng – Founder of Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL)
Chairman and CEO of Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) Robin Zeng speaks during the Lanting Forum in Shanghai on April 21, 2023. Photo by AFP
Robin Zeng, the founder of battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), has seen his net worth grow by 44% to $53.5 billion. CATL has become a dominant force in the global electric vehicle battery market, supplying major carmakers such as Tesla, BMW, and Geely.
The company completed a secondary listing in Hong Kong in May, raising $4.6 billion — the biggest listing of the year — while its existing shares continue to trade in Shenzhen. In its latest earnings update, CATL reported net income of 18.5 billion yuan for the third quarter, a 41% increase from a year earlier.
Zeng, who is 56 years old, retained his global leading position with 36.8% of installed EV battery capacity in the first eight months of 2025, according to SNE Research.
5. William Ding – Founder of NetEase
William Ding, founder of NetEase. Photo by Reuters
William Ding, 54, made it into the top five this year with a net worth of $47.5 billion, taking the spot vacated by PDD Holdings founder Colin Huang. Most of Ding’s wealth comes from his stake in NetEase, one of the world’s largest online gaming companies, which has also expanded into films, e-commerce, and music streaming.
The firm’s stocks reached around a four-year high in May after rising 45% since the start of the year. This surge has been fueled by strong spending from younger consumers and renewed investor enthusiasm for China’s gaming sector.
Regulators in China have also shown a more supportive stance toward the sector and the broader tech industry, contributing to the positive outlook for companies like NetEase.