Binance’s Zhao Changpeng Denies ¥190B Wealth Estimate After Reported Trump Pardon

Binance founder Zhao Changpeng denies a report pegging his fortune at 190 billion yuan, saying his actual net worth is much smaller as he returns to the spotlight.

Binance founder Zhao Changpeng has publicly dismissed a report that placed his personal fortune at 190 billion yuan (about US$26.7 billion), saying the real amount is much smaller. The cryptocurrency entrepreneur — widely known as CZ — stepped back into the headlines following reports that he received a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a social media post addressing the valuation, Zhao pushed back on the widely circulated estimate, arguing that public reports often overstate the net worth of crypto executives. He emphasized the complexity of valuing digital-asset holdings, private company equity and assets tied up in regulatory or legal proceedings. Accurate net worth calculations, he noted, require access to private records and an understanding of liquidity constraints.

The Binance founder’s denial highlights a recurring issue in the cryptocurrency industry: wealth estimates can be volatile and misleading. Prices of major tokens swing dramatically, private company valuations are opaque, and publicly reported figures can conflate market capitalization with personal holdings. For high-profile crypto entrepreneurs, this creates an environment where headlines about billion-dollar fortunes can spread quickly — even if they don’t reflect real-world liquidity or tax liabilities.

The reported pardon and Zhao’s re-entry into public conversation also underscore the intersection of politics, regulation and crypto business. Whether or not all aspects of those reports are confirmed, the situation has renewed interest in Binance’s role in global digital-asset markets and the regulatory scrutiny the exchange has faced. For followers of cryptocurrency news, CZ’s statements serve as a reminder to read wealth estimates with caution and to look for primary-source documentation.

As the crypto sector continues to mature, transparency around ownership and valuation will likely become more important. Investors, journalists and regulators are pushing for clearer disclosures, which could reduce the frequency of exaggerated net-worth reports in the future. For now, Zhao Changpeng’s public rebuttal makes one thing clear: public headlines do not always equal reality when it comes to crypto fortunes.

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