Ayear and a half ago, Changpeng Zhao was just getting out of jail. After a sweeping investigation into Binance, the cryptocurrency exchange he founded in 2017, Zhao (better known by his initials, CZ) pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program and agreed to pay a $50 million fine (on top of $4.3 billion paid by Binance), resign as CEO and serve four months in a California prison.

What a difference 17 months makes.

Forbes estimates that CZ is now richer than ever. His net worth has skyrocketed to $110 billion, up $47 billion from last year, on the annual World’s Billionaire’s list. CZ now ranks as the world’s 17th-wealthiest person on the planet, by our count, and one of just 20 people worth twelve figures. He is richer than Bill Gates.

Some of Zhao’s smaller assets took minor hits over the past 12 months, with the value of his estimated 1,400 bitcoins dropping by 25%, to around $100 million. And his stash of what is believed to be the majority of Binance’s BNB token in circulation merely held steady.

But, despite stepping down as chief executive in........

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