The China rich list released by the Hurun Research Institute on October 27, 2026, put ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming back in first place with an estimated $100 billion fortune, as artificial intelligence helped lift the wealth of technology entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways

  • Hurun estimated Zhang’s wealth rose 43% to $100 billion, a record for the list’s richest person.
  • Bottled water magnate Zhong Shanshan fell to second place, while CATL chairman Robin Zeng ranked third.
  • Hurun counted a record 1,529 people with wealth above 5 billion yuan.

China rich list reflects AI gains

Hurun chairman Rupert Hoogewerf attributed almost all of Zhang’s increase in wealth to AI. ByteDance operates Doubao, which Hoogewerf described as China’s most-used AI assistant, and is the parent company of short-video platforms Douyin and TikTok.

Zhong’s estimated wealth fell 23% to $61 billion. Zeng, chairman of electric-vehicle battery maker CATL, placed third. DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng entered the list in seventh place, while AI chipmaker Cambricon chair Chen Tianshi ranked 10th.

Hoogewerf said 160 people on the list, or about one in 10, made their money from AI. Hurun said it cross-checked information with entrepreneurs, regulators and industry experts, while acknowledging limitations in compiling the rankings.

Consumer and property fortunes face pressure

The institute counted 1,529 people with more than 5 billion yuan, approximately $750 million, up 6.6% from the previous year. It also counted 1,176 US-dollar billionaires, an increase of 155, though still slightly below the 1,185 recorded in 2021.

Hoogewerf said gains were concentrated in AI, semiconductors and robotics, while wealth in consumer businesses, real estate and traditional manufacturing declined. Xiaomi chairman Lei Jun was the list’s biggest faller, with his estimated fortune halving to $25.1 billion.

For the first time, no mainland property developer remained in the top 100, Hoogewerf said. China’s domestic demand has been weighed down by a yearslong property downturn. The country reported 4.5% year-on-year economic growth for the July–September 2026 quarter, against a full-year target of 4.5% to 5%.

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