Yu Yong’s net worth over time
Only dates with a published estimate are shown. Nothing is filled in between. Tap or hover a bar to see the source.
See the numbers as a table
| Date | Estimate | Source |
| 2019 | $3.2 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $5.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $4.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $4.8 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $10.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $10.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $25.4 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $18.8 billion | Forbes Real-Time Billionaires · Forbes real-time estimate |
Where the money comes from
These are the main sources of wealth named in the reporting we cite. No published source breaks the total into exact amounts, so we do not show percentages.
Yu Yong’s fortune in real-life terms
Based on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimate above. Median full-time U.S. pay is $65,416 a year ($1,258 a week, BLS, Q2 2026), before taxes. Typical (median) U.S. family net worth is $216,100 (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances).
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Yu Yong has an estimated net worth of $18.8 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Yu Yong profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $3.2 billion in 2019.
Yu Yong is a Chinese businessman and investor who founded Cathay Fortune, a holding company based in Shanghai. Born in 1961, he built his fortune mainly through a large stake in CMOC Group, formerly known as China Molybdenum, one of the world's largest producers of that metal. Forbes counts him as self-made. He is married and lives in Shanghai.
Cathay Fortune, also known as Hongshang Industrial Holdings Group, has grown into a wide ranging investment firm. Beyond mining, it has stakes in battery making, electric vehicles, airlines, real estate and financial services. It holds 40% of China Express Airlines, making it the largest shareholder, and it has invested in several Chinese banks and financial institutions. The firm is also a major investor in the Shanghai real estate market.
How Yu Yong makes money
Most of Yu's wealth comes from CMOC Group, a mining company that has been expanding into gold and copper. In 2025 CMOC took Canada listed Lumina Gold private in a $419 million deal, gaining the Cangrejos gold-copper project in Ecuador. In January 2026 it bought four producing gold mines in Brazil from Equinox Gold for $1 billion. These deals have pushed the company further into precious metals.
Yu has also made smart bets on clean energy. Before battery maker CATL went public in 2018, he acquired a 1.69% stake in a pre-IPO sale, and Forbes says he still owns a stake in the lithium-ion battery leader. Cathay Fortune was an early investor in Zeekr, an electric vehicle brand under Geely, which went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2024.
How Forbes has valued Yu Yong
Forbes valued Yu at $3.2 billion in 2019 and $3 billion in 2020. His fortune rose to $5.3 billion in 2021, then held near that level at $4.7 billion in 2022 and $4.8 billion in 2023. In 2024 it more than doubled to $10.3 billion, and it edged up to $10.7 billion in 2025.
The biggest leap came on the 2026 World's Billionaires List, where Forbes estimated him at $25.4 billion as the value of his mining holdings soared. His figure has come down since. As of October 20, 2026, the Forbes real-time billionaires tracker showed $18.8 billion, still far above where he stood just a few years earlier.
Career and money timeline
- 2018
Yu acquired a 1.69% stake in CATL before its IPO.
- 2024
Zeekr, backed early by Cathay Fortune, went public in New York.
- 2025
CMOC took Lumina Gold private in a $419 million deal.
- 2026
CMOC bought four producing gold mines in Brazil from Equinox Gold.
Yu Yong net worth FAQ
What is Yu Yong's net worth?
Yu Yong's net worth is an estimated $18.8 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Yu Yong profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Yu Yong get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Mining.
Is Yu Yong a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Yu Yong is worth $18.8 billion.
How has Yu Yong's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $3.2 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $18.8 billion (October 20, 2026).
What is CMOC Group?
CMOC Group, formerly China Molybdenum, is one of the world's largest producers of molybdenum. It is the main source of Yu Yong's wealth.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Yu Yong profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Yu Yong profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Yu Yong profile (April 8, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Yu Yong profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Yu Yong profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Yu Yong profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Yu Yong profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Yu Yong profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Yu Yong profile (March 10, 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Usual Weekly Earnings (Q2 2026) (July 2026)
- Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (median family net worth, Table 4) (October 2026)
- Background facts: Wikipedia, Yu Yong (accessed October 28, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Every number on this page is an estimate published by the source named next to it. We never fill in years with our own guesses. How we handle estimates.