Zhang Yiming Tops Hurun’s 2026 China Rich List

ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming ranked first on Hurun’s 2026 China rich list, with Hurun chairman Rupert Hoogewerf attributing almost all of his wealth increase to artificial intelligence. The ranking, published October 27 and based on estimates dated September 1, also showed a growing presence of AI fortunes and a continued retreat of mainland property developers from its top 100. Hurun reported that Zhang’s wealth rose 43% in renminbi from a year earlier. Published estimates of his fortune varied, so the ranking’s precise dollar valuation is not stated here. Hoogewerf said the increase came almost entirely from AI. Hurun also cited ByteDance’s AI assistant Doubao and revenue from its Douyin and TikTok platforms in describing the company’s performance. The institute counted 1,529 people with wealth above 5 billion yuan, up 6.6% from the previous year. It identified 1,176 U.S.-dollar billionaires, 155 more than a year earlier and 176 more than the United States. The total remained below China’s 2021 peak of 1,185. Hurun said 160 people on the list made their money from AI, about one in 10 listed individuals. Hoogewerf described gains among entrepreneurs in AI, semiconductors...