Li Ka-shing Net Worth

Li Ka-shing has an estimated net worth of $48.8 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Li Ka-shing profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $31.7 billion in 2019.

Li Ka-shing is a Hong Kong businessman and investor known for building a diversified group across property, retail, transport, energy, utilities, and financial services. He started Cheung Kong Plastics in 1950 with $6,500 from savings and loans from relatives. The company began in plastics, then moved into real estate. Cheung Kong later became a major listed business in Hong Kong, and his wider group grew into one of the region’s biggest corporate empires.

His wealth came from expanding beyond one industry and making large deals over many decades. Cheung Kong was listed in 1972, and he bought a major stake in Hutchison Whampoa in 1979. The group later added Hongkong Electric Holdings in 1985. He also backed technology companies through Horizons Ventures and the Li Ka Shing Foundation, including Facebook, Siri, and Spotify. Li retired as chairman in 2018 and stayed on as senior advisor.

How Li Ka-shing built his fortune

Li made his name by moving from plastics into property and then into a much broader set of businesses. After launching Cheung Kong Plastics in 1950, he developed it into a real estate company and listed Cheung Kong in 1972. From there, he expanded through major acquisitions, including Hutchison Whampoa in 1979 and Hongkong Electric Holdings in 1985. His businesses have operated across transportation, retail, energy and utilities, financial services, and real estate.

A big part of his fortune comes from owning and running businesses at scale, then reshaping the portfolio over time. CK Hutchison and related companies have operated in more than 50 nations, and the group has more than 300,000 employees under the leadership of his son Victor. Li also invested in technology through Horizons Ventures and the Li Ka Shing Foundation. Those bets included Facebook, Siri, and Spotify, adding another source of long-term value beyond traditional assets.

A closer look at his money

Li is self-made according to Forbes, and his latest wealth estimate shows how large his business interests remain. Forbes put his fortune at $47 billion on the 2026 World’s Billionaires list. Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker later estimated him at $48.8 billion as of October 20, 2026. Even after stepping down as chairman in 2018, he remained senior advisor to CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings, keeping a close link to the businesses he built.

His money story is also about disciplined expansion into many sectors instead of relying on one company. The group has held assets in property, ports, retail, telecom, utilities, and infrastructure, while Li also made selective startup investments. He said it took him 5 minutes in 2007 to decide to invest in Facebook, even though it had barely any revenues. Alongside business, his foundation has donated more than $3.8 billion, with over 80% going to Greater China.