Zhou Yahui’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 |
| 2015 | $1.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2015 |
| 2016 | $2.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2016 |
| 2021 | $1.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2024 | $1.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $1.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $2.4 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $1.6 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 Yahui’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 Yahui has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Zhou Yahui profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $2.4 billion.
Zhou Yahui is a Chinese entrepreneur best known for founding Kunlun Tech in 2008. His career in internet businesses started earlier, with the student-focused website Vulcan Net in 1999. After roles at Renren in 2005 and JiNaiTe Technology in 2007, he launched his own company and built it into a major web game developer in China. He later became chairman and CEO of Kunlun, and the company went public on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2015.
Much of his wealth comes from online games and from deals tied to Kunlun and Opera. In early 2016, a group of investors that included Kunlun acquired Opera Software, and Kunlun's 48% stake gave Zhou effective control of Opera. He serves as executive chairman of Opera and was CEO from 2016 to 2025. He stepped down as chairman of Beijing Kunlun in April 2020 to focus on Opay, an African mobile payment business.
How Zhou Yahui built his fortune
Zhou Yahui made his name in online games. After early work on Vulcan Net, Renren, and JiNaiTe Technology, he founded Kunlun Tech in 2008. The company distributes and sells video games in China through its GameArk application. He led Kunlun as executive director and general manager until 2011, then as chairman and CEO. Kunlun became one of the largest web game developers in China, giving him the base for most of his wealth.
His business interests later widened beyond games. In early 2016, a consortium that included Beijing Kunlun acquired Opera Software, and Kunlun's 48% stake gave Zhou effective control of Opera. He serves as executive chairman of Opera and was its CEO from 2016 to 2025. Kunlun also bought a 60% controlling stake in Grindr in January 2016. In April 2020, Zhou left the Kunlun chair role to focus on Opay, Opera's Africa-based mobile payment business.
Forbes net worth and money milestones
Forbes has tracked Zhou Yahui's fortune for years as part of the Media & Entertainment industry, with wealth tied to online games. Forbes estimated his net worth at $1.6 billion in 2015, then $2.3 billion in 2016. In the years that followed, his business interests included Kunlun, Opera, Grindr, and Opay. Those holdings show how his money came from both operating companies and high-profile tech deals linked to Kunlun.
The Forbes estimate later moved lower and then higher again. Forbes put his fortune at $1.1 billion in 2021, $1.6 billion in 2024, $1.5 billion in 2025, and $2.4 billion in 2026 on the World's Billionaires List. Forbes' real-time tracker listed him at $1.6 billion in October 2026, and the current figure is $1.6 billion as of October 20, 2026. The swings match a career built around public tech and gaming assets.
Career and money timeline
- 1999
He launched Vulcan Net with funding from Tsinghua University.
- 2005
He became an executive manager at Renren in November.
- 2008
He founded Kunlun Tech and started building a games business.
- 2015
Kunlun Tech went public on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
- 2016
Kunlun joined the Opera acquisition, and its 48% stake gave him effective control.
- 2020
He stepped down as Kunlun chairman in April to focus on Opay.
Zhou Yahui net worth FAQ
What is Zhou Yahui's net worth?
Zhou Yahui's net worth is an estimated $1.6 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Zhou Yahui profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Zhou Yahui get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: online games.
Is Zhou Yahui a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Zhou Yahui is worth $1.6 billion.
How has Zhou Yahui's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $1.6 billion (2015, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2015). The latest is $1.6 billion (October 20, 2026).
What company is Zhou Yahui best known for?
He is best known for founding Kunlun Tech in 2008. The company became a major web game developer in China.
What is Zhou Yahui's latest Forbes net worth?
Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker listed him at $1.6 billion as of October 20, 2026.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Zhou Yahui profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2015, Zhou Yahui profile (March 2, 2015)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2016, Zhou Yahui profile (March 2016)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Zhou Yahui profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Zhou Yahui profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Zhou Yahui profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Zhou Yahui 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 Yahui (accessed October 23, 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.