TikTok owner Zhang Yiming becomes China’s richest person
Creator: NurPhoto | Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images Copyright: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto
Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance and owner of TikTok, has officially become China’s wealthiest individual, according to multiple billionaire rankings.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, released on Thursday, placed Zhang as the 24th richest person in the world, estimating his fortune at $57.5 billion. Meanwhile, Forbes’ Billionaires List recorded his net worth at $65.5 billion, reinforcing his status as China’s wealthiest person.
At just 42 years old, Zhang founded ByteDance in 2012, transforming it into a tech giant now valued at over $400 billion as of January 2025. The company owns several popular mobile applications, including TikTok, CapCut, Xigua Video, and Douyin—the Chinese version of TikTok.
Zhang’s rise to the top comes amid growing global scrutiny over TikTok’s influence and data security concerns, particularly in the United States and Europe.
However, ByteDance continues to expand its dominance in the social media and AI-driven content industry, solidifying Zhang’s position as one of the world’s most influential tech entrepreneurs.
