The number of Taiwan’s richest people is off the charts! The first generation of wealth creators also invest in digital assets and set up family offices. Assets are globalized and inheritance is more value-oriented

Don't think only young people understand virtual currencies. The latest "2025 High Net Worth Group Report" released by CTBC Bank points out that Taiwanese entrepreneurs with assets over 100 million are not only kings in traditional industries but are now actively incorporating digital assets, ESG concepts, and family offices into their financial blueprints. Wealth inheritance is no longer just about "giving money".

What is the "Wealth Creation Generation"? Richer and Cooler Than Your Dad

Although the 2025 report does not explicitly mention the term "Wealth Creation Generation", it clearly distinguishes high net worth groups into different types. The "Wealth Creation Generation" in this article refers to the first-generation entrepreneurs who accumulated wealth through starting from scratch, mostly over 55 years old, with assets from industrial operations, forming the main structure of Taiwan's ultra-high net worth group.

In contrast, the "New Wealthy Generation" refers to second or third-generation inheritors with an international perspective and diverse educational backgrounds, with investment preferences leaning towards digitalization and technology.

Although the Wealth Creation Generation comes from traditional industries, their investment mindset is not traditional. The 2025 report points out that they are no longer just buying stocks and real estate, but are more strategically allocating part of their assets to emerging categories such as private equity funds, alternative investments, and digital assets, with a focus on risk management and asset sustainability.

Digital Assets Are Not Just About "Buying Coins" - Wealth Creation Generation Shifts to Stable Operations

The 2024 report previously noted that some high net worth entrepreneurs have already ventured into digital assets (such as cryptocurrencies) and structured products. However, the 2025 report clearly shows a trend change: these entrepreneurs are no longer personally buying coins, but are shifting towards a more stable investment model managed by professional teams, emphasizing asset preservation and risk management.

Although the report does not specifically mention ETFs or blockchain funds, the overall data shows that the Wealth Creation Generation places more emphasis on the institutionalization, regulatory compliance, and medium to long-term strategic logic of digital assets.

In other words, they are not avoiding investment, but they are not investing recklessly.

Family Trust and Inheritance Planning Continue to Heat Up

Family trust is clearly listed in the report as one of the main tools for inheritance and asset protection among high net worth groups, particularly used in scenarios such as corporate equity, estate planning, marriage, and care trusts. Although not explicitly mentioned for virtual asset allocation, its key position in wealth governance structure is beyond doubt.

Moreover, the 2025 report also points out that family governance issues are jointly concerned by the Wealth Creation Generation and their successors, with increasing dialogue between them on assets and values, reflecting that wealth inheritance is transforming from one-way transmission to two-way co-construction.

Taiwan's Rich People Break the Table! Asset Growth Approaches 10%

According to the report, as of 2023, over 129,000 people in Taiwan have net assets exceeding 100 million, estimated to exceed 140,000 by 2027, with total assets growing from 32 trillion to 46 trillion, with a compound annual growth rate close to 9%.

2024 data shows that 63% of the high net worth group are business operators, with 69% over 55 years old, indicating that the Wealth Creation Generation remains the main force. The 2025 report continues this trend and points out that emerging affluent groups are also rapidly increasing, especially from technology, green energy, and innovative industries.

Internationalization Upgrade! Asset Transfer to Singapore, UAE, and Japan

Facing geopolitical and tax transparency trends, the first generation of wealth creators are gradually shifting from "Taiwan-based" to "global diversification". They prefer politically and economically stable, tax-friendly regions like Singapore, Japan, and the UAE, without a comprehensive migration trend, but have established second identities and overseas asset havens. Purposes include: - Asset hedging and protection - Cross-border inheritance planning - Flexible arrangement of family members' identities and residences The report warns that future asset globalization is not just an allocation choice, but an important part of inheritance and risk management strategy.

Not Just Transferring Money, But Also Transferring Concepts: ESG and Family Governance Become Core

The 2025 report clearly states that nearly 60% of high-net-worth individuals will incorporate corporate social responsibility and ESG concepts into their inheritance planning. This is not just asset management, but value transmission. Specific approaches include: - Investing in green energy or sustainable enterprises - Establishing public welfare funds or charitable trusts - Helping the next generation understand corporate mission and social responsibility through education The wealth creators' inheritance is not just "passing the baton", but "passing the soul".

Family Office Rising: A New Management Model for the Wealthy

As asset categories, tax risks, and succession needs become increasingly complex, establishing a Family Office has become a trend among high-net-worth families. The report indicates that Taiwanese high-net-worth individuals want to integrate asset management, tax and legal planning, charitable work, and educational inheritance through professional long-term governance. Advantages of Family Offices include: - Reducing internal property disputes and resource waste - Unifying risk management and investment strategies - Systematically promoting family vision and governance structure As a result, many domestic financial institutions are actively launching integrated family office services to capture this high-end market.

Wealth Creators, Moving from Earning Money to Understanding Governance

They started from factories and ventured into digital assets; they have billion-dollar assets and discuss ESG and sustainability; they value inheritance and are willing to create a new blueprint for family governance through professional structures. Wealth creators are managing the "post-wealth era" in a more open and far-sighted way. In this wave of asset restructuring and value transformation, the truly wealthy have never been just capital, but wisdom that sees further. The Taiwan-born man Rui-Siang Lin, who was prosecuted by the US for leading the Dark Web drug trading platform "Incognito Market", has pleaded guilty in a US federal court. According to recently released court documents, he agreed to forfeit assets totaling up to $105 million (approximately NT$3.3 billion), including cryptocurrencies, Non-Fungible Token collections, cold wallets, and balances in multiple cryptocurrency exchange accounts. (Source: NTU high-achieving student Rui-Siang Lin's Dark Web drug sales earned NT$160 million monthly, "Incognito Market" mastermind turns in accomplices for US sentence reduction)

US Government Discloses Virtual Asset Details

The US Southern District of New York Federal Court indicated in a "Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture" that Rui-Siang Lin must surrender illegal proceeds and criminal tools totaling $105,045,109.67, with a detailed list of digital assets seized. According to the judgment, these massive assets primarily come from four aspects: - Platform operation income (Dark Web drug and counterfeit drug trading commissions) - Money laundering operational funds - Counterfeit drug sales revenue - Digital asset allocation using concealment and anonymous encryption techniques

Diverse Asset Types Seized, Including High-Value NFTs

Virtual Currency Assets Spread Across Exchanges and Personal Wallets

The court specifically named dozens of virtual assets, including but not limited to: - 19.3 BTC - 100 ETH - Over 1 million USDT - 1,926 SOL - Multiple XMR and Aave derivative tokens These assets were stored in Kraken, Binance (UIDs 37817359, 281631139, 832860427), anonymous wallets on US Limestone company servers, and Kingston USB hardware wallets.

Bored Ape NFT Collector

Court documents also revealed that Lin Ruixiang's address owns over 15 high-value Non-Fungible Tokens, including:

• Bored Ape Yacht Club #3405
• Bored Ape Kennel Club #7140
• My Pet Hooligan series totaling 16 pieces

These Non-Fungible Tokens are stored in a cold wallet with a seed phrase and have been seized by US authorities.

US Department of Justice Thoroughly Investigates Asset Origin and Destination

This case is part of an important action by the United States to combat crypto crime. Lin Ruixiang has admitted in a plea agreement that these assets are of illegal origin and has relinquished all ownership. According to regulations, US authorities can confiscate these assets and transfer them to the "Assets Forfeiture Fund" under the US Treasury, which may be used in the future to compensate victims or fund law enforcement actions.

Additionally, if a third party claims rights to these assets, they must file an appeal with the court within 60 days of the announcement, otherwise the assets will officially belong to the US government.

Taiwan Prosecutors Have Simultaneously Launched an Investigation

It is understood that Taiwanese law enforcement agencies have frozen Lin Ruixiang's domestic assets at the end of 2023, totaling over NT$200 million, including luxury homes, bank deposits, and some virtual currencies. Whether subsequent cooperation with US authorities for cross-border asset recovery will occur is still pending further consultation between diplomatic and judicial units.