Summary
TLDR: The crypto industry has created numerous colorful characters who have amassed huge fortunes, with Satoshi Nakamoto being the richest with $76.67 billion worth of BTC. Other wealthy individuals include Changpeng Zhao, Brian Armstrong, and various anonymous Bitcoin whales. Many crypto elites have lost their billionaire status due to legal issues or market fluctuations. Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum co-founder, is not rich enough to make it into the top echelon. The list of the wealthiest players in the crypto industry is constantly changing and evolving.
Key Points
1) The anonymous hacker who stole $2 million worth of BTC and ETH from Gatecoin in 2016 remains elusive and the value of the loot is now over $542 million.
2) Rain Lohmus, who bought 250,000 ETH for $75,000 in 2014, lost access to his wallet with holdings worth $869 million.
3) Even prominent figures like FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried have faced legal troubles, with Bankman-Fried receiving a 25-year federal prison sentence and ordered to forfeit $11 billion.