CZ Says He Is Worth $10 Billion to $30 Billion. Forbes Says $110 Billion. The Difference Is How You Value Binance.

Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ and the founder of Binance, recently told The New York Times that his net worth is somewhere between $10 billion and $30 billion. This estimate is significantly lower than the $110 billion figure Forbes assigned him in March 2026, which ranked him the 17th-richest person in the world, ahead of Bill Gates, listed at $108 billion. The top end of Zhao’s estimate still falls $80 billion short of Forbes’s figure.

For many BNB (CRYPTO:BNB) holders, this raises an important question: Which figure should they trust? And what does it mean for BNB?

Why Are CZ and Forbes So Far Apart?

Zhao’s self-assessment highlights a crucial detail: in the same interview, he said he needs only about $10 million to live comfortably. This amount is a small fraction of either estimate, suggesting he views most of his wealth differently, perhaps as business assets rather than cash for spending.

Forbes compiles its list of the world’s richest people by estimating each person’s total assets and ranking them accordingly. Its March 2026 estimate placed Zhao among the top 20 on its rich list, and headlines often repeat such claims about his wealth until they start to feel like facts. But remember that both figures are estimates, and one comes directly from Zhao himself.

Why Binance’s Private Status Makes CZ’s Stake Hard to Value

Binance is a private company, which complicates valuation. Unlike publicly traded companies, where analysts can easily determine share value, Binance lacks a market price. Therefore, analysts must estimate the company’s overall value to assess Zhao’s ownership stake.

Forbes suggests that Zhao owns around 90% of Binance, estimating the company’s value at $100 billion. This puts Zhao’s stake at roughly $90 billion, or about 82% of Forbes’s $110 billion total.

What Could Explain the $80 Billion Gap?

The considerable difference between the two estimates might stem from several plausible factors:

• Different Views on Company Value. A company’s value depends on factors like anticipated growth, regulatory pressures, and competition. A less optimistic outlook on any of these could justify a lower valuation.
• Ownership Structure. Zhao may hold his stake via different ownership entities, share it with partners, or have restrictions not visible to outsiders.
• Illiquidity Discount. Investors often discount large, illiquid assets, meaning Zhao’s private stake might be worth less because there are no quick buyers.
• Personal Wealth Perspective. People often view wealth differently based on what they can readily access. Zhao’s comment that he needs only $10 million is consistent with that mindset.

BNB remains one aspect of Zhao’s wealth that anyone can verify directly. Traders can see the current price of BNB, while private ownership stakes remain harder to assess. Nevertheless, Zhao has not disclosed how much BNB he holds or the exact nature of his Binance stake, so Forbes’s 90% estimate is an approximation.

Which CZ Net Worth Figure Should BNB Holders Trust?

For BNB holders, Forbes’s figure may be more informative. It provides transparent details about its estimate, mainly based on Zhao’s ownership percentage in Binance, which can be evaluated against later market events. On the other hand, Zhao’s personal estimate lacks external data to verify it.

Ultimately, neither estimate directly drives demand for BNB. The link between Zhao’s wealth and BNB’s value primarily relies on his undisclosed holdings. A future funding round or public listing could clarify this relationship; if Binance’s valuation approaches $100 billion, it would lend more credence to Forbes’s estimate, whereas a lower valuation would align more closely with Zhao’s figures.

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