Zhang Yiming, the 41-year-old founder of ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has risen to become the wealthiest person in China with an estimated net worth of $65.5 billion as of 2024. His success places him ahead of other Chinese billionaires, including Zhong Shanshan and Ma Huateng.
Born in 1983 in Longyan, Fujian, Zhang earned a software engineering degree from Nankai University in 2005. In 2012, he launched ByteDance, the tech giant responsible for platforms like the news aggregator Toutiao and the globally popular TikTok. Under his leadership, ByteDance’s revenue soared to $110 billion last year.
Despite his immense fortune and the worldwide influence of his company, Zhang maintains a low public profile. In 2021, he stepped down as ByteDance’s CEO to focus on long-term strategy, corporate culture, and social impact. His journey from an engineer to the leader of one of the world’s most valuable startups showcases the transformative power of technological innovation and entrepreneurship.
