ByteDance Founder Zhang Yiming Becomes Asia’s Richest Person
Mian Nadeem | Published September 16, 2026
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has announced that its founder, Zhang Yiming, is now Asia's richest person, surpassing India's Gautam Adani. According to a Bloomberg report, Zhang Yiming ranks 18th on the global list of the wealthiest individuals, with a fortune estimated at $105 billion.
Adani, who also owns $105 billion, occupies the 20th spot globally. Zhang Yiming's net worth has surged by an impressive $40.3 billion this year, while Adani's assets have grown by $20.4 billion.
India's Mukesh Ambani is the third-richest person in Asia, with a fortune of $81.3 billion. Zhang Yiming's wealth has increased astronomically since March 2019, growing by over $12 billion just this September alone.
Despite his immense wealth and influence, Zhang Yiming leads a relatively private life. Born in China's Fujian province in 1983 to government employees, his name is derived from a Chinese proverb meaning "to surprise everyone on the first attempt."
After graduating in software engineering from Nanki University in 2005, he met and married his future wife. Zhang Yiming's career began with Kuxun, where he started as an engineer and later took charge of a team of 40-50 people in his second year. He attributes his success to the diverse experiences gained from various business roles and his sense of responsibility.
Before ByteDance, Zhang Yiming worked at Microsoft but left to pursue his own venture. Founded in 2012, ByteDance is now globally recognized primarily due to TikTok. Interestingly, Zhang Yiming initially was not an active user of the platform, believing it to be solely for younger demographics.