Cryptocurrency has been around since 2009, but it's become more than just a buzzword in the business and tech worlds in recent years. Since the launch of Bitcoin, which is considered to be the first cryptocurrency, we're now seeing the release of many other coins and tokens hitting the market every month. Today, there are more than 10,000 different cryptocurrencies with a total estimated value of $1.7 trillion. Some of the top cryptos such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin and Dogecoin have billions of dollars in capitalisation. As the crypto market grows, so does the list of top crypto traders. This article features a list of the top richest crypto traders in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The ranking includes individuals who are considered billionaires and multi-billionaires based on cryptocurrency market valuations, trading volumes and holdings. Let's see who makes the list.

How to become a successful crypto trader

The cryptocurrency ‘era’ started with Bitcoin when a small group of people realised they could buy and sell online without any regulations. In the early stages, trading was full of risk and no oversight. Many things have changed since 2009, including the rules of the game.

Create a trading plan

You need to ensure that you have everything to increase your money-making opportunities and minimise risks. By making a proper trading plan, you will have a clear vision of what kind of trading you want to engage in. Decide if it's day trading, long-term investing, high-frequency trading or any other strategy that most appeals to you. After you choose, pick the cryptocurrency exchange and other trading tools that best fit your trading plan. 

Know your budget

You need to decide how much money you can spend on cryptocurrency. It should be an amount that you can afford to lose, especially if you're new to trading. You should also decide what you'll do if things don't go according to plan. When it comes to money matters, you should always know how much money you have, where it is and how much return you will get over time.

Don't be greedy

Good traders are not greedy. Greed is the main reason people lose money and are forced to stop trading. There may be times when you spot an opportunity you think is a sure thing, and you might want to bet everything you have to maximise your profits if you're right. 

Use the right trading tools 

There are many trading tools available in the market today. Some of the most useful tools used by top crypto traders include: 

• Trading algorithms
• Crypto news aggregators
• Trading data analytics
• Market charts
• Portfolio rebalancing
• Mobile apps for trading on the go 
• Real-time market data and alerts 

Keeping your money secure

Keeping all your money in the same place is not what top cryptocurrency traders would recommend. You may lose your private keys, the exchange could fail, or your wallet could be hacked. The best way to protect your trading capital is by using different storage methods. Ensure that the exchange you choose has a good reputation and uses reliable security methods. Keeping your funds in both online and offline storage is one of the best approaches to keeping them safe.

Follow the trend

The cryptocurrency market is a new and rapidly expanding industry. There are so many top crypto traders because those who saw large money-making opportunities jumped on board and made a fortune. To trade cryptocurrency and grow your revenue in 2023, you need to learn to spot and take advantage of trends.

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The top 13 crypto traders to follow

There are so many cryptocurrency thought leaders who have made a fortune in the industry and who use social media platforms to share their insights, so it was tough to identify the top 13 richest crypto traders to follow. But we did it, and here are the top crypto traders you can follow on platforms such as Twitter and YouTube.

Changpeng Zhao - @cz_binance (net worth of $33 - $56.3 billion) 

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The CEO of Binance is one of the richest crypto investors. Zhao has been interested in technology and computer science since an early age. After selling his apartment in 2014, he risked a large sum of money and invested in his business since he believed in the project's profitability.

Today, Binance has more than 90 million users and more than 600 cryptocurrencies. The project generates impressive earnings for the CEO, who owns about 30% of the company. 

Zhao's net worth has grown significantly in recent years, with Forbes estimating it at $33 billion as of 7 July 2024, while the Bloomberg Billionaires Index puts it at $38.5 billion as of June 2024. His net worth has increased by $4.1 billion in 2024 alone.

Satoshi (net worth of $51 - $75 billion) 

Unfortunately, one of the most mysterious figures in the cryptocurrency world is not officially available on Twitter. However, we couldn't pass this opportunity to feature the brain behind the development of Bitcoin on this list of the top 13 richest crypto traders in the world. The development of Bitcoin started in 2009, though the cryptocurrency's developers are still not known. Satoshi created the blockchain database and contributed to its original implementation. It is believed that Satoshi designed the Bitcoin white paper, which enjoys great popularity among investors. 

Nakamoto's net worth is primarily derived from his ownership of approximately 1 to 1.1 million bitcoins, which he mined in Bitcoin's early days. With Bitcoin's price reaching over $72,000 in spring 2024, Nakamoto's net worth is about $75 billion, placing him among the top 15 richest people in the world.

Brian Armstrong - @brian_armstrong (net worth of $8.7 billion)

Brian Armstrong is a co-founder of Coinbase and its CEO. The company has a massive market in the US, generating an annual revenue of $1 billion in the US economy. Armstrong owns an estimated 20% of Coinbase's cryptocurrency. In a recent interview with Forbes, this top crypto trader emphasised the importance of user engagement in cryptocurrency as a way to improve the economy.

Armstrong is considered one of the most successful traders in the world. His wealth is mainly derived from his 19% ownership stake in Coinbase. At its peak in 2021, when the crypto market was booming, his net worth was estimated at around $6.6 billion. In 2022, his net worth collapsed to between $2.2 billion and $2.6 billion due to a slide in Coinbase's share price amid allegations of the company failing to prevent money laundering. 

However, as Coinbase's stock price recovered in 2023 and 2024, Armstrong's net worth has climbed back up to around $8.7 billion.

Chris Larsen - @chrislarsensf (net worth of $2.9 billion) 

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Chris Larsen is a co-founder of Ripple and its Executive Chairman. He has been an active player in the business world and has been listed among the top 13 richest crypto traders in the world. Chris Larsen holds 17% of shares in Ripple, which has a massive impact on the cryptocurrency market.

Larsen's net worth has fluctuated significantly in recent years. At its peak in 2018, it was estimated at a staggering $59 billion, briefly making him the fifth richest crypto billionaire in the world.

However, his net worth plummeted to around $2.2 billion in 2020 due to the SEC's lawsuit against Ripple, which caused the value of XRP to plummet. Since then, Larsen's net worth has gradually recovered, and is estimated at $2.9 billion as of 2024.

Tyler Winklevoss - @tyler (net worth of $5.6 billion) 

Tyler Winklevoss comes next on the list of the top 13 richest crypto traders in the world. He's a major player in the cryptocurrency world and the CEO of the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange. The Harvard school attendee majored in economics and has played a significant role in managing funds in his cryptocurrency projects.

Cameron Winklevoss - @cameron (net worth of $5.3 billion) 

Cameron Winklevoss and his twin brother Tyler Winklevoss established HarvardConnection. The brothers pursued a degree in economics and are known for their lawsuit against Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, whom they accused of stealing the idea behind Facebook. They won the case and invested the compensation they received in Bitcoin.

In 2024, the combined net worth of the Winklevoss twins is estimated to be around $5.4 - $6 billion. This wealth is primarily derived from their early investments in Bitcoin and their founding of the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange. According to Forbes, as of May 2024, the twins each had an estimated net worth of around $2.7 billion.

Mike Novogratz - @novogratz (net worth of $1.5 - $2.5 billion) 

Mike Novogratz is the CEO of Galaxy Investment Partners. About 85% of his income comes from the cryptocurrency industry. Novogratz is interested in American politics, and he strongly supports Democratic causes. 

Novogratz's net worth is heavily tied to the performance of the cryptocurrency market, especially digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. His net worth has fluctuated a lot over the years: 

• In 2007, Novogratz's net worth was estimated at $1.5 billion, ranking him #317 on the Forbes 400 list.
• By 2012, his net worth had fallen to around $500 million due to losses at his previous firm, Fortress Investment Group.
• Novogratz's net worth rebounded, reaching an estimated $8.5 billion in 2021, as he invested heavily in cryptocurrencies like LUNA.
• However, the collapse of LUNA and TerraUSD in 2022 significantly impacted his wealth, reducing his net worth to around $2.5 billion as of 2024.

Joseph Lubin - @ethereumJoseph (net worth of $1 - $5 billion) 

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Joseph Lubin is a co-founder of Ethereum and a contributor to the Consensys project. He's an entrepreneur who started EthSuisse, a Switzerland-based cryptocurrency contributor. Thanks to his vast knowledge in the field of technology, Lubin specialises in software verification in the organisation. He also explores blockchain industry solutions.

Lubin's wealth is primarily derived from his role as co-founder of Ethereum and ConsenSys, a blockchain technology company. As of May 2024, his net worth was estimated to be around $5 billion, making him one of the richest traders in the crypto world. 

Micree Zhan - @MicreeZ (net worth of $3.2 billion) 

Micree Zhan is the CEO of Bitmain Technologies. He's a famous electronic engineer who invented a computer chip that Bitcoin operators use. Bitmain Technologies is a China-based company that is deemed the largest commercial crypto mining firm. The company sells ASIC-chip miners, which are primarily used in the Chinese market.

Zhan’s net worth is closely tied to the crypto market’s performance and Bitman’s success. The recent crypto market downturn has dramatically impacted his wealth. As of 2024, Zhan’s net worth is estimated at $3.2 billion. 

Vitalik Buterin - @VitalikButerin(net worth of $834.66 million) 

The co-founder of Ethereum is one of the youngest cryptocurrency billionaires in the world. Vitalik Buterin has also been involved as a writer and developer in the Bitcoin community and is one of the co-founders of Bitcoin Magazine.

He shares insightful comments on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology with his community of more than 3.9 million Twitter followers. If you visit his account on the platform, you'll come across multiple reviews, articles and other valuable information on cryptocurrency, which is especially useful to anyone who wants to understand cryptocurrency and blockchain better.

Buterin's net worth surged from $552.86 million at the start of 2024 to $834.66 million by the middle of 2024. At the peak of the 2021 bull market, when ETH reached its all-time high of $4,891, Buterin's net worth surpassed $2 billion. However, by the end of 2022, market declines reduced his net worth by about 75%.

Most of his net worth comes from his substantial ETH holdings, which fluctuate with Ethereum's market price. His known ETH holdings amount to approximately 245,279 tokens. 

Matthew Roszak - @matthewroszak (net worth of $3.1 billion) 

Matthew Roszak, a blockchain trailblazer, made a name for himself and amassed a fortune worth over $1 billion. His journey began when he co-founded Bloq, a company that assists banks in securely storing cryptocurrency and enables seamless stablecoin transactions for businesses.

Before that, Roszak had already dabbled in venture capital and entrepreneurship in the 1990s and 2000s. However, he encountered a rough patch in the mid-aughts and became embroiled in legal turmoil due to insider trading charges that he eventually resolved.

Forbes reports that Roszak demonstrated remarkable foresight by diving into the crypto world early, meticulously building his investment portfolio from 2012. Since then, he has experienced the ups and downs of this captivating industry firsthand.

Roszak's net wealth is primarily derived from his investments and holdings in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. He is among the most successful crypto traders, ranking 9th on the list of the richest individuals in the cryptocurrency industry in 2024.

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Fred Ehrsam - @FEhrsam (net worth of $2.8 billion) 

With a net worth of $1.1 billion, Fred Ehrsam's journey into the digital currency world began with his passion for the popular game World of Warcraft. Through this virtual realm, he first encountered the concept of digital currencies, igniting his curiosity and paving the way for his remarkable career.

In 2012, Ehrsam joined forces with Brian Armstrong to co-found Coinbase, a groundbreaking venture that would ultimately blossom into the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States. Together, they embarked on a mission to revolutionise how people engage with and perceive digital assets.

Although Ehrsam bid farewell to Coinbase in 2017, he still maintains a significant stake of 6% in the company and remains influential on its board. Undeterred by his departure, he forged ahead with a new endeavor in 2018, founding Paradigm, a crypto investment firm that continues to shape the industry's future.

While his net worth has fluctuated, Forbes estimated it at $2.8 billion.

Nikil Viswanathan - @nikil (net worth of more than $1.8 billion)

Boasting a net worth of over $1.8 billion, Nikil Viswanathan has emerged as a prominent figure in the realm of technology. In 2020, he teamed up with Joe Lau to co-found Alchemy, a groundbreaking company whose software serves as a vital foundation for numerous blockchain and Web3 enterprises. Today, Alchemy is an indispensable resource relied upon by thousands within the industry.

Before their venture into Alchemy, Viswanathan and Lau, both alumni of Stanford University, showcased their innovative prowess by creating Down to Lunch. This revolutionary meetup app experienced a meteoric rise and even achieved the coveted status of being the number one app in the App Store at one point. Their ingenuity and knack for developing cutting-edge solutions became evident through this remarkable accomplishment.

Viswanathan's journey exemplifies the power of leveraging technological innovation to shape the landscape of the digital era. Through Alchemy, he has propelled the growth of countless companies and established himself as a visionary leader in the ever-evolving world of blockchain and Web3 technologies.

Nikil Viswanathan's net worth in 2024 is estimated to be around $1.8 billion, making him one of the most successful traders in the world. Viswanathan's wealth is primarily derived from his 26% ownership stake in Alchemy. Viswanathan also has investments in various other cryptocurrency and blockchain projects. Viswanathan is considered one of the youngest Indian-origin crypto billionaires in the world. He is also an active investor through his venture capital firm, Alchemy Ventures.

These were the top 13 richest crypto traders in the world that we recommend you follow on Twitter. Check their updates and learn from their example to improve your chances of becoming a successful crypto trader.

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