In just over a decade, cryptocurrency has gone from an emerging concept to a trillion-dollar force. At its center is a new class of billionaires who are rewriting the rules of wealth.
What makes them interesting is not just the size of their wallets, but the scale of their impact. These pioneers have built multi-billion dollar empires, from cryptocurrency platforms to blockchain networks, redefining what it means to be rich.
Who is the youngest billionaire in the cryptocurrency field?
A new study Chia with BeInCrypto by ApeX, a decentralized cryptocurrency trading platform , has highlighted the youngest billionaires in the sector—individuals who amassed their fortunes at a relatively early age.
The study focused on individuals listed in reputable billionaire rankings (such as Forbes' World Billionaires 2024 List and Forbes' Crypto & Bitcoin Billionaires 2024) and founders of major cryptocurrency companies with valuations strong enough to achieve billionaire status.
Due to the volatility of cryptocurrency prices, not all of these individuals have maintained billionaire status consistently over the years. However, each of them has achieved a credible billion-dollar valuation at some point between 2021 and 2025.
“What stands out about these young crypto billionaires is not just their wealth, but how quickly they are changing the rules of finance. Cryptocurrencies have enabled entrepreneurs in their twenties and thirties to build global systems that bypass traditional institutions. Their success underscores how digital innovation is redefining both money and opportunity,” said an ApeX spokesperson.
List of youngest cryptocurrency billionaires. Source: ApexTogether, these names reflect personal success and the speed at which cryptocurrency continues to create—and redefine—global wealth. Here's a look at the three youngest crypto billionaires.
1. Ed Craven
Ed Craven tops the list as the youngest crypto billionaire by 2025. The Australian entrepreneur reached the milestone at just 29 years old with an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion.
This year, Forbes ranked him among the youngest billionaires. He is one of only two self-made billionaires under 30.
Craven co-founded Stake in 2017 with Bijan Tehrani, building it into one of the world's largest cryptocurrency-powered online casinos. The platform generated $4.7 billion in revenue last year, driven by the speed and anonymity of crypto-based gambling.
Stake ’s rapid growth has been fueled by a bold marketing strategy. During the pandemic, the company invested heavily in influencer deals, paying Twitch streamers millions of dollars to broadcast their games.
This grew revenue from $100 million to over $2 billion in just two years. After Twitch banned Stake promotions, Craven and Tehrani launched their own live streaming service, Kick.
In addition to live streaming, Stake ’s brand has reached mainstream audiences through marketing through Formula 1 racing, the Premier League, and UFC fights. These efforts have bolstered Stake ’s global recognition and Craven’s reputation as one of the richest young entrepreneurs in the cryptocurrency space.
2. Vitalik Buterin
Vitalik Buterin , now 31, comes in second with a current net worth of $1.4 billion, thanks to his foundational Vai in Ethereum (ETH). According to Forbes ,
“He became the world's youngest crypto billionaire at age 27 when Ether, Ethereum's native cryptocurrency, surpassed $3,000 per coin for the first time in May 2021.”
At the time, Buterin held around 333,500 ETH, worth around $1.029 billion. Despite market volatility, the rise in Ethereum's price boosted his fortune once again. In August, BeInCrypto reported that he had regained 'on chain billionaire' status.
Notably, the Ethereum co-founder is also known for using his wealth for good, donating millions of dollars to humanitarian causes. His contributions include over $1 billion in cryptocurrency to India’s Covid-19 relief fund and other charities, large donations to Ukrainian charities, and funding for projects focused on global health.
3. Justin Sun
Justin Sun ranks third among the youngest cryptocurrency billionaires, with an estimated fortune of $8.5 billion at just 35 years old. He created TRON (TRX) in 2017, which is now the 11th largest cryptocurrency by market Capital .
“Justin Sun has built a vast cryptocurrency empire, Peg by the TRON blockchain, along with the Poloniex and HTX exchanges, and the peer-to-peer file- Chia service BitTorrent,” Forbes noted .
While the exact timing of Sun’s billionaire status is unclear, he remains a central figure in the cryptocurrency industry. He has also taken steps to protect details of his personal holdings, including legal action to prevent their publication , citing security concerns.
“Justin Sun has filed a lawsuit against Bloomberg, claiming that it plans to ‘recklessly and improperly disclose his highly confidential, sensitive, private, and proprietary financial information,’ collected while verifying his assets for Bloomberg’s ‘Billionaires Index,’” Molly White posted .
Sun is also known for his lavish spending. In November 2024, he spent $6.2 million on a piece of conceptual art—a banana duct-taped to a wall—and has spent millions more on other artworks. His projects extend beyond Earth. After bidding $28 million, Sun also completed Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission.
In addition to these leading figures, ApeX's research also highlights young leaders in the crypto space, including Alchemy co-founders JOE Lau and Nikil Viswanathan, Coinbase's Fred Ehrsam and Brian Armstrong, Tether's Paolo Ardoino, and the Winklevoss twins. The richest of these is Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), with an estimated fortune of $33 billion.
This collective represents the coming of age of crypto, where early pioneers have weathered booms, busts, and scandals to amass fortunes that rival traditional financial dynasties.
