Zhou Hongyi’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 | $4.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $4.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $4 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $2.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $2.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $2.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $2.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $1.9 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.
Zhou Hongyi’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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Zhou Hongyi has an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Zhou Hongyi profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $4.3 billion.
Zhou Hongyi is a Chinese internet entrepreneur and the cofounder, chairman and CEO of 360 Security Technology, the Beijing company also known as Qihoo 360. Born on 4 October 1970 in Huanggang, Hubei, he earned a master's degree from Xi'an Jiaotong University. Forbes counts him as a self-made billionaire, and he is seen as one of China's early internet pioneers.
His first big success came in 1998, when he founded 3721, a search service that sold Chinese-language keywords as an alternative to Roman-alphabet web addresses. Yahoo bought 3721 in 2004 for US$120 million, and Zhou went on to lead Yahoo's operations in China. After Yahoo sold its China business to Alibaba in 2005, he left to start Qihoo 360.
How Zhou Hongyi built his fortune
Zhou's wealth is tied mainly to his stake in 360 Security Technology, which he cofounded after leaving Yahoo China. The Beijing company sells internet security software and also runs search services, two areas Zhou knew well from his years building 3721. As cofounder, chairman and CEO, he has kept both a large ownership position and day-to-day control of the business he started.
The company's stock market history has been unusual. Qihoo was listed on the New York Stock Exchange before it delisted in 2016. In 2018 it relisted in China, giving investors there a chance to buy in. Zhou also chairs 360 DigiTech, a credit information service listed on Nasdaq, which adds another business to his holdings beyond security software.
How Forbes has valued Zhou Hongyi
Forbes estimated Zhou at $4.3 billion in 2019 and again in 2020. His figure dipped to $4 billion in 2021, then fell sharply to $2.5 billion in 2022. It edged up to $2.6 billion in 2023 before dropping to $2.1 billion in 2024. Since much of his money is in listed shares, his estimate tends to follow the stock prices of his companies.
His estimate bounced to $3 billion in 2025, then eased to $2.6 billion on Forbes' 2026 World's Billionaires List. As of October 20, 2026, the Forbes real-time billionaires tracker showed $1.9 billion. That puts him well below his 2019 level, but he still leads one of China's best-known internet security companies and lives in Beijing, where Qihoo is based.
Career and money timeline
- 1998
Zhou founded 3721, an early Chinese search service.
- 2004
Yahoo acquired 3721, and Zhou led Yahoo's China operation.
- 2005
After Yahoo sold its China business to Alibaba, he left to start Qihoo 360.
- 2016
Qihoo delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.
- 2018
Qihoo relisted in China.
- 2026
Forbes' real-time tracker estimated him at $1.9 billion in October 2026.
Zhou Hongyi net worth FAQ
What is Zhou Hongyi's net worth?
Zhou Hongyi's net worth is an estimated $1.9 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Zhou Hongyi profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Zhou Hongyi get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Security software.
Is Zhou Hongyi a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Zhou Hongyi is worth $1.9 billion.
How has Zhou Hongyi's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $4.3 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $1.9 billion (October 20, 2026).
What company does Zhou Hongyi run?
He is cofounder, chairman and CEO of 360 Security Technology, also known as Qihoo 360, an internet security and search company in Beijing.
What did Zhou Hongyi do before Qihoo 360?
He founded the search company 3721, which Yahoo bought in 2004, and then led Yahoo's China operation.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Zhou Hongyi profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Zhou Hongyi profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Zhou Hongyi profile (April 8, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Zhou Hongyi profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Zhou Hongyi profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Zhou Hongyi profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Zhou Hongyi profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Zhou Hongyi profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Zhou Hongyi 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, Zhou Hongyi (accessed October 27, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Photo: 中国新闻社, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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.