The Rise and Growth of the Chinese Billionaires
William Ding, also known as Ding Lei, is a strong example of China’s first major internet-billionaire generation. He founded NetEase in 1997 in Guangzhou with about $60,000, starting with free email and then expanding into online portals, news, bulletin boards and eventually online gaming. NetEase went public in 2000, and its gaming business became the core wealth engine behind Ding’s fortune.
China’s billionaire ranks is growing rapidly
| World rank | Name | Net worth | Country | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Zhang Yiming | $69.3B | China | TikTok |
| 33 | Zhong Shanshan | $57.1B | China | Beverages, pharmaceuticals |
| 36 | Ma Huateng | $48.5B | China | Online games |
| 47 | William Ding | $41.7B | China | Online games |
| 61 | Chen Tianshi | $36.9B | China | Semiconductors |
| 65 | He Xiangjian & family | $33.4B | China | Home appliances |
| 80 | Colin Huang | $30B | China | E-commerce |
| 86 | Wang Weixiu & family | $27.5B | China | Machinery |
| 92 | Jack Ma | $26.4B | China | E-commerce |
| 93 | Liu Debing | $26B | China | AI |
His story reflects a broader pattern in China: entrepreneurs who entered early into the internet, mobile gaming, e-commerce, fintech, EVs, batteries, consumer brands, semiconductors and healthcare were able to build massive companies because China offered a huge domestic market, fast urbanization, improving capital markets and a rapidly growing middle class.
William Ding, a Chinese billionaire, has a net worth of $36.7 billion, mainly from the technology sector. He is the founder and CEO of NetEase, one of China’s largest internet technology companies.
NetEase has diversified its business into online gaming, e-commerce, and advertising, contributing to Ding’s growing wealth as the company continues to expand and capitalize on China’s booming internet market.
Networth: $28.7B
Country: China
Industry: Technology