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Satoshi Nakamoto tops crypto rich list with $92 billion on-chain

Milena Thomas
Published Sep 30, 2026
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Summary:
  • Arkham Intelligence pegs Satoshi Nakamoto's on-chain holdings at $92 billion across about 22,000 wallets, a sum that would land in Bloomberg's top 30 richest people.
  • Justin Sun ranks second with about $2.2 billion visible on-chain, and separate estimates put his net worth between $5 billion and $7 billion.
  • Vitalik Buterin ranks fifth with $629 million, and the roundup spotlights striking lost fortunes - from forgotten passwords to a hard drive in a landfill.

The $92 billion shadow at the top

Data from Arkham Intelligence puts Bitcoin's creator far out front, with an on-chain trove worth $92 billion distributed across roughly 22,000 addresses. Stack that against Bloomberg's billionaire index and you are talking top-30 territory worldwide. It is an enormous presence, especially given how little is known publicly about the person or group behind the name.

Who else is on the board

Tron founder Justin Sun follows with roughly $2.2 billion on-chain, and Arkham puts his total wealth in the $5 billion to $7 billion range. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin lands in fifth at $629 million, largely in ETH amassed since the network launched in 2015. In the middle of the list sit builders like POAP's Patricio Worthalter and Gnosis co-founder Stefan George, whose wealth is tied to the projects they helped create. The tenth spot goes to Ansem, a trader known for catching Solana's early memecoin wave, with $88 million on-chain.

Fortunes locked behind lost keys

Some riches are visible on-chain but out of reach in real life. Estonian banker Rain Lohmus controls addresses holding $684 million in ETH originating from Ethereum's 2014 sale, but the keys required to access them are no longer in his possession. Stefan Thomas, a programmer, has only two password attempts remaining to unlock $590 million in Bitcoin. Welsh IT worker James Howells is tied to roughly $675 million that sits on a thrown-away hard drive buried in a landfill.

Stranger twists and what it means for you

Irish cannabis dealer Clifton Collins amassed a $338 million Bitcoin hoard during 2011-2012, then stashed the keys inside a fishing-rod case that was discarded following his 2017 arrest. Since then, Ireland's Criminal Assets Bureau managed to gain access to a portion of his wallets. One wallet thought to be inactive moved in March 2026, and Irish police seized $35 million after that activity.

Even when headlines focus on massive crypto fortunes, steady habits matter, so download the free Always Be Buying E-Book

The takeaway is simple: crypto wealth can be immense and transparent on-chain, yet still slip through your fingers without careful key management and a clear recovery plan. If you hold any digital assets, the operational details can be the difference between a balance you watch and a balance you can actually use.

Long term gains come from regular investing rather than headlines, claim your free Always Be Buying E-Book today

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