The Hurun Research Institute released the 2026 Hurun Rich List on Oct. 27, according to a report by National Business Daily. A total of 1,529 entrepreneurs with personal wealth of at least 5 billion yuan made this year’s list, up by 95 from a year earlier and marking a record high. Their combined wealth reached 32 trillion yuan, up 7% year over year, or 2.1 trillion yuan.
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming, 43, became China’s richest person for the second time with a fortune of 670 billion yuan, setting a new wealth record for the country’s top-ranked billionaire. The report said the increase was driven by progress in the company’s AI business, which pushed its valuation higher. Nongfu Spring founder Zhong Shanshan fell to second place after his wealth shrank by 120 billion yuan to 410 billion yuan.
The list also added 263 new faces. Wealth gains were especially notable among entrepreneurs tied to semiconductors and AI computing. DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng debuted at No. 7 with 280 billion yuan, while Unitree founder Wang Xingxing entered with 69.5 billion yuan. HKC’s Wang Zhiyong and Zhipu founders Liu Debing and Tang Jie also ranked among the top 10 newcomers.
China’s 2026 Hurun Rich List was released on Oct. 27, according to National Business Daily.
This year’s ranking included 1,529 entrepreneurs with personal wealth of more than 5 billion yuan, 95 more than last year and the highest total on record. Their combined wealth reached 32 trillion yuan, up 7% year over year, an increase of 2.1 trillion yuan.
Zhang Yiming returns to the top spot
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming, 43, ranked first with a fortune of 670 billion yuan, becoming China’s richest person for the second time. The figure also set a new record for the wealth of China’s top-ranked billionaire. The report said his wealth rose as progress in ByteDance’s AI business lifted the company’s valuation.
Nongfu Spring founder Zhong Shanshan dropped to second place after his wealth fell by 120 billion yuan to 410 billion yuan.
AI and semiconductor entrepreneurs stand out among newcomers
The 2026 Hurun Rich List included 263 new entrants. Entrepreneurs in semiconductors and AI computing posted some of the strongest wealth gains.
Among them, DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng made his first appearance on the list and ranked seventh with 280 billion yuan. The report said the AI large model boom drove the rapid rise in his wealth.
He was followed by Unitree founder Wang Xingxing, who entered the list with 69.5 billion yuan. Wang Zhiyong, 56, of display panel maker HKC, joined with 64.5 billion yuan. Zhipu founders Liu Debing and Tang Jie also made the top 10 newcomers with fortunes of 39.5 billion yuan and 27.5 billion yuan, respectively.
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