China’s Richest Women: Inside Their Billion-Dollar Fortunes of Chinese business woman

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China’s Richest Women: Inside Their Billion-Dollar Fortunes of Chinese business woman

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As of 2026, the top 10 richest women in China are dominated by founders, major shareholders, and heirs from sectors such as beverages, real estate, pharmaceuticals, technology, and manufacturing.

Here is a widely cited ranking based on recent billionaire estimates from Forbes and major financial publications (net worths fluctuate with stock prices):

Top 10 Richest Women in China (2026)

Rank

Name

Main Source of Wealth

Est. Net Worth

1

Zhong Huijuan

Pharmaceuticals

~$13–15B

2

Yang Huiyan

Real estate

~$10–12B

3

Wu Yajun

Real estate

~$7–8B

4

Fan Hongwei

Petrochemicals

~$6–7B

5

Chen Lihua

Real estate & tourism

~$6B

6

Lu Xiangyang

Electric vehicles

~$5–6B

7

Zhou Qunfei

Smartphone glass

~$5B

8

Zhang Yin

Paper manufacturing

~$4–5B

9

Wang Laichun

Electronics manufacturing

~$4–5B

10

He Xiangjian Family (female heirs)

Home appliances

~$4B+

Top 10 Richest Women in China 2026: The Rise of China's Female Billionaires

By Marcus Chen | Updated on July 10, 2026 | 12 MIN READ
Wendi Deng, Chinese-American businesswoman and investor, at a public event in 2024
Wendi Deng, Chinese-born American businesswoman and investor, has a net worth of $150 million and is known for her marriage to Rupert Murdoch and her investments in Uber and Snapchat. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The top 10 richest women in China for 2026 include Zheng Shuliang, Zhong Huijuan, Zhou Qunfei, Zong Fuli, Yang Huiyan, Wu Yajun, Fan Hongwei, Zhang Xin, Lucy Guo, and Wendi Deng — a diverse group of self-made billionaires and heirs reshaping China's economy. Richest women in China, Chinese female billionaires, Zheng Shuliang net worth, Zhong Huijuan, Zhou Qunfei Lens Technology, Zong Fuli Wahaha, Yang Huiyan Country Garden, Wu Yajun Longfor, Fan Hongwei Hengli, Zhang Xin SOHO China, Lucy Guo Scale AI, Wendi Deng, and China's wealthiest women — these are the searches driving business news right now. From pharmaceuticals and real estate to tech and manufacturing, these women are breaking barriers and building empires. Read more business news →

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1. Zheng Shuliang — China's Richest Woman at 80

Zheng Shuliang, an 80-year-old from Shandong province, is currently the richest woman in China with a net worth of $32.7 billion. According to the Forbes China Rich List published in January 2026, Zheng and her family rank 8th overall on the list, making her the only woman in the top 10. Her wealth comes from a diversified business empire, but she remains relatively unknown compared to other billionaires. She was also the richest woman in China in late 2025, when she had a net worth of $25.4 billion.

Key Associations: Shandong province, diversified business empire, Forbes China Rich List 2026, wealth growth from $14.3 billion in 2024 to $32.7 billion in 2026.

2. Zhong Huijuan — Pharma Queen with Her Daughter

Zhong Huijuan, founder of Hansoh Pharmaceutical, is the second-richest woman in China with a net worth of $19.8 billion. She and her daughter Sun Yuan topped the Hurun Women Entrepreneurs List in October 2025, making them the first female billionaires from the healthcare sector to claim the top spot. Their wealth surged 83% year-over-year, driven by accelerated innovation in drug development and global partnerships.

Key Associations: Hansoh Pharmaceutical, Sun Yuan (daughter), healthcare sector, Jiangsu province, innovation drug development, global partnerships, top of the Hurun Women Entrepreneurs List 2025.

3. Zhou Qunfei — The Self-Made Tech Queen

Zhou Qunfei, founder of Lens Technology, is the richest self-made female billionaire in China with a net worth of $15.4 billion. Her story is one of the most inspiring rags-to-riches tales in modern business. Born in 1958 into a poor rural family, she lost her mother at age 5 and dropped out of school at 15 to work in a factory for $1 a day. She later took over the factory when the owner withdrew investment and went on to found Lens Technology in 2003. Her company is the world's leading touchscreen manufacturer and a key supplier to Apple, Samsung, and Tesla.

Zhou gained global attention in May 2026 when she was seated between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Elon Musk at a state dinner during President Trump's visit to China. Her net worth surged 75% in 2025, driven by the global demand for smartphones and smart devices.

Key Associations: Lens Technology, Apple, Samsung, Tesla, Tim Cook, Elon Musk, Hunan province, Shenzhen stock exchange, iPhone glass supplier, self-made billionaire, factory worker origin, $3,000 startup capital.

Zhang Xin, co-founder of SOHO China, in a 2019 interview
Zhang Xin, co-founder and former CEO of SOHO China, has a net worth of $1.2 billion and is a prominent figure in Chinese real estate. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

4. Zong Fuli — The Heiress of Wahaha

Zong Fuli, the only child of the late Zong Qinghou, inherited the Wahaha beverage empire and has a net worth of $12.3 billion. She ranked third on the Hurun Women Entrepreneurs List in 2025, down from first place the previous year. She has faced challenges in the transition of leadership following her father's passing and has recently resigned from all positions at Wahaha Group.

Key Associations: Wahaha Group, beverage empire, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, inheritance, Zong Qinghou (father), third place on Hurun Women Entrepreneurs List 2025.

5. Yang Huiyan — Country Garden Heiress

Yang Huiyan, chair of Country Garden, has a net worth of $2.8 billion and is the heiress to one of China's largest property developers. Her father, Yeung Kwok Keung, transferred a 57% stake in the company to her in 2007, making her the world's youngest female billionaire at the time. She chairs the company and her sister Yang Ziying also sits on the board. Her husband Chen Chong is a non-executive director. The company has faced significant challenges in recent years, missing interest payments on offshore bonds in 2023.

Key Associations: Country Garden, Yang Ziying (sister), Chen Chong (husband), Foshan, Guangdong province, real estate, property development, Ohio State University graduate, wealth has declined significantly from its peak.

6. Wu Yajun — Longfor Group Founder

Wu Yajun, co-founder of Longfor Group Holdings, has a net worth of $6.6 billion and is one of the most powerful women in Chinese real estate. She co-founded the company with her ex-husband Cai Kui in 1993. She stepped down as chairman in 2022 but remains the largest shareholder with over 43% equity interest. Wu holds a degree in engineering and worked as a journalist before entering real estate.

Key Associations: Longfor Group Holdings, Cai Kui (ex-husband and co-founder), Beijing, real estate developer, commercial properties, rental apartments, 31,653 employees, engineering degree, journalist background.

Wendi Deng with Rupert Murdoch at a 2011 event
Wendi Deng with her then-husband Rupert Murdoch at a 2011 event. She has since built a successful career as an investor and film producer. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

7. Fan Hongwei — Hengli Petrochemical Chair

Fan Hongwei, chair of Hengli Petrochemical, has a net worth of $5.7 billion and is a self-made billionaire in the energy sector. She and her husband Chen Jianhua built the company from a textile and silk trading business into a petrochemical giant. Her son Chen Hanlun is the group's vice president, and her daughter Chen Yiting once led its tourism arm.

Key Associations: Hengli Petrochemical, Hengli Group, Chen Jianhua (husband), Chen Hanlun (son), Chen Yiting (daughter), Suzhou, Jiangsu province, textiles, chemical fiber, petrochemicals, accountant background.

8. Zhang Xin — SOHO China Co-Founder

Zhang Xin, co-founder and former CEO of SOHO China, has a net worth of $1.2 billion and is one of China's most internationally recognized businesswomen. She co-founded SOHO China with her husband Pan Shiyi in 1995, and the company became one of the country's most prolific office property developers. Zhang worked on Wall Street for Goldman Sachs and Travelers Group before returning to China. She stepped down as CEO in 2022 to focus on arts and philanthropy.

Zhang has since founded Closer Media, a film production and financing company, and Closer Properties, a New York-based real estate developer. She serves as a trustee of MoMA, sits on the Harvard Global Advisory Council, and is a board member of the global streaming platform MUBI. She has 10 million followers on Weibo.

Key Associations: SOHO China, Pan Shiyi (husband), Beijing, Shanghai, Zaha Hadid, Kengo Kuma, Kohn Pederson Fox, Closer Media, Closer Properties, MUBI, MoMA, Harvard Global Advisory Council, University of Sussex, Cambridge University, Goldman Sachs, Travelers Group, Blackstone, 54 million square feet of real estate.

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9. Lucy Guo — The 90s AI Billionaire

Lucy Guo, born in 1994, is the world's richest self-made female billionaire born in the 1990s with a net worth of $1.3 billion. She co-founded Scale AI in 2016 with Alexandr Wang, a company that provides data infrastructure for AI systems. She dropped out of Carnegie Mellon University, where she was studying computer science, to pursue her entrepreneurial ambitions.

Guo initially held approximately 6% of Scale AI's shares, which later decreased to below 5% through various funding rounds. In 2025, when Meta acquired around 49% of Scale AI, her holdings were valued at approximately $1.25 billion. After leaving Scale AI, she founded Backend Capital, a venture capital fund focused on early-stage startups.

Key Associations: Scale AI, Alexandr Wang, Meta, Backend Capital, Ramp, Carnegie Mellon University, venture capital, San Francisco, self-taught programmer, 9x entrepreneur, AI boom.

Zhang Xin at the World Economic Forum in 2008
Zhang Xin at the World Economic Forum in 2008. She has become an internationally recognized businesswoman and philanthropist. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

10. Wendi Deng — The Socialite Investor

Wendi Deng, a Chinese-born American businesswoman, has a net worth of $150 million and is known for her marriage to Rupert Murdoch and her investments in tech startups. Deng rose to prominence through her marriage to the media mogul in 1999, but has since built a successful career as an investor and film producer. She has backed major startups like Uber and Snapchat. She is known for her ability to navigate elite social and business circles.

Key Associations: Rupert Murdoch (ex-husband), News Corp, Star TV, Uber, Snapchat, film producer, venture capital, Silicon Valley, Hollywood, elite networking, socialite, 6 ft tall.

Other Notable Rich Chinese Women

Beyond the top 10, several other Chinese women have significant wealth and influence in business:

  • Wang Lai Chun — Chair of Luxshare Precision, a key Apple supplier
  • Dong Mingzhu — Chair of Gree Electric Appliances, a household name in China
  • Wang Xin — Founder of DINGHAO Technology, a PCB manufacturer
  • Liu Wei — CEO of Giant Network, a gaming company
  • Li Ting — CEO of JOYY, a live streaming company

According to the Forbes China Outstanding Business Women 2026 list, there are 45 new entrants this year, with many coming from tech, culture, and retail sectors.

FAQ: Richest Women in China

Q: Who is the richest woman in China in 2026?
A: Zheng Shuliang is the richest woman in China with a net worth of $32.7 billion, according to the Forbes China Rich List.

Q: Who is the richest self-made female billionaire in China?
A: Zhou Qunfei, founder of Lens Technology, is the richest self-made female billionaire in China with a net worth of $15.4 billion.

Q: Who is the youngest female billionaire in China?
A: Lucy Guo, born in 1994, is the world's richest self-made female billionaire born in the 1990s.

Q: Which Chinese female billionaire is connected to Apple?
A: Zhou Qunfei's company Lens Technology is a key supplier of iPhone touch screens, and she has been seated next to Tim Cook at state dinners.

Q: Which Chinese female billionaires are from the real estate sector?
A: Yang Huiyan (Country Garden), Wu Yajun (Longfor Group), and Zhang Xin (SOHO China) are all from the real estate sector.

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Sources: Forbes China Rich List 2026, Hurun Women Entrepreneurs List 2025, Forbes, Celebrity Net Worth, Tatler Asia, Vietnam.vn, 36Kr, 中時新聞網, 新浪财经, Morningstar, Fortune, Aspen Institute. Updated on July 10, 2026.