Zhang Yiming remains China's richest person on Forbes 2026 billionaires list

(ECNS) -- Zhang Yiming, founder of Chinese tech giant ByteDance, remains China's richest person with a net worth of $69.3 billion, according to the latest World's Billionaires List released Wednesday by Forbes.

Zhang, who ranks 26th globally, was followed by beverage tycoon Zhong Shanshan, founder of Nongfu Spring, with a fortune of $68.1 billion, placing him at 27th worldwide, according to the list.

Tencent chairman Pony Ma ranked third among Chinese billionaires with a net worth of $53.8 billion, securing the 33rd spot globally.

Mainland China's wealthiest individuals have seen their fortunes grow over the past year. The combined net worth of the country's top 10 billionaires reached $414.5 billion in 2026, up from $400.5 billion last year and significantly higher than the $304 billion recorded in 2024.

Globally, Elon Musk was named the world's richest person for the second consecutive year, according to Forbes.

The United States continues to lead the world with 989 billionaires, holding a combined wealth of $8.4 trillion. Mainland China ranks second with 539 billionaires, followed by India in third with 229.

(By Zhang Dongfang)