Archive · 17 Sep 2026
How Zhang Yiming Rose From $13 Billion to Asia’s Richest
Zhang Yiming started ByteDance in 2012, and ByteDance later created TikTok and Douyin.
TikTok became popular around the world, helping make the company very valuable.
ByteDance also makes money from advertising and online shopping.
It is now investing heavily in artificial intelligence, including a chatbot called Doubao and a video tool called Seedance.
Investors recently valued the private company more highly.
That made Zhang’s estimated fortune rise to about $105.5 billion.
He passed Gautam Adani, who had been Asia’s richest person, with about $104.8 billion.
Zhang left ByteDance’s CEO job in 2021 but reportedly still controls more than half of its voting rights.
A US agreement involving TikTok also removed some uncertainty about the company’s future in America.
ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming became Asia’s richest person, with an estimated fortune of $105.5 billion as of September 15.
Zhang overtook Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, whose estimated fortune was about $104.8 billion.
His wealth increased more than eightfold from the $13 billion Bloomberg recorded in March 2019.
Updated private valuations and investor interest in ByteDance’s AI products, including Doubao and Seedance, added more than $12 billion to his estimated wealth this month.
A January 2026 US joint venture involving Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX reduced uncertainty over TikTok’s US operations, while ByteDance retained a 19.9% stake.
- Who
- Zhang Yiming, founder of ByteDance, and Gautam Adani, the Indian industrialist he overtook.
- What
- Zhang became Asia’s richest person, with an estimated fortune of about $105.5 billion.
- When
- The Bloomberg ranking measured wealth as of September 15; the TikTok US joint venture was finalized in January 2026.
- Where
- The ranking concerns Asia, while related TikTok regulatory and ownership developments involved the United States.
- Why
- Zhang’s fortune rose with ByteDance’s higher private valuation, investor interest in its AI products, and reduced uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s US operations.
Technology and AI growth
Traditional industries and business risks
What drove the change in Asia’s wealth rankings?
Technology and AI growth
Zhang’s rise reflects ByteDance’s global short-video platform, digital advertising, e-commerce operations and expanding AI business.
Traditional industries and business risks
Adani’s fortune, built through ports, energy, infrastructure and other traditional industries, remains a major source of wealth despite his move to second place.
ByteDance’s future outlook
Technology and AI growth
Investors’ interest in Doubao and Seedance suggests that ByteDance’s AI expansion could become an important growth opportunity beyond social media.
Traditional industries and business risks
ByteDance continues to face fierce competition in China and has endured regulatory scrutiny involving technology businesses and TikTok’s US operations.
- Estimated fortune
- Zhang Yiming: about $105.5 billion
- Previous ranking leader
- Gautam Adani: about $104.8 billion
- Wealth increase
- More than eightfold from approximately $13 billion in March 2019
- Main wealth source
- Zhang’s stake in ByteDance
- AI products
- Doubao chatbot and Seedance video-generation tool
- Valuation update
- Updated valuations from BlackRock, Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price reportedly added more than $12 billion to Zhang’s wealth this month
- TikTok US venture
- A majority American-owned joint venture was finalized in January 2026; ByteDance retained a 19.9% stake
Sources
What took TikTok's Zhang Yiming from $13bn to $105bn as he becomes Asia’s richest?
TikTok founder Zhang Yiming becomes Asia’s richest person, overtakes Adani: Top 20
TikTok Billionaire Zhang Yiming Overtakes India's Gautam Adani To Become Asia's Richest Person
Who is Zhang Yiming? Meet the TikTok founder and Asia's richest person, surpassing Gautam Adani