Micree Zhan
Micree Zhan | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 29, 1979 Minhou County, Fujian, China |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, electronics engineer |
| Known for | Co-founder and CEO of Bitmain |
Micree Zhan, also known as Zhan Ketuan (; born 29 January 1979), is a Chinese businessman and electronics engineer. He co-established and serves as CEO of Bitmain alongside Wu Jihan, a leading global manufacturer of computer chips designed for cryptocurrency mining. In 2018, the Hurun Report recognized him as the wealthiest cryptocurrency billionaire worldwide. The following year, Bloomberg placed him ninth among the richest self-made billionaires under 40, estimating his net worth at US$5.2 billion.
Early life and education
Born on 29 January 1979 in Minhou County, Fujian, China, Zhan completed his secondary education at Minhou No. 1 High School. He then obtained a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering from Shandong University in 2001. Subsequently, he earned a master's degree specializing in microelectronics engineering from the Institute of Microelectronics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2004.
Career
Following his postgraduate studies, Zhan took on an engineering role at the Information Technology Research Institute affiliated with Tsinghua University. He later initiated a venture focused on manufacturing set-top boxes for televisions.
In 2013, Zhan collaborated with cryptocurrency advocate Wu Jihan to launch Bitmain. The company quickly ascended to become the foremost producer of computer chips for bitcoin mining, achieving revenues of US$2.5 billion in 2017. By 2018, Zhan held a 36% stake in Bitmain, while Wu owned 20%.
The 2018 edition of the Hurun Report Blockchain Rich List identified Zhan as the top cryptocurrency entrepreneur globally, with an estimated net worth of 29.5 billion yuan (approximately US$4.3 billion), placing him ahead of Wu. Bloomberg's February 2019 ranking listed him as the ninth wealthiest self-made billionaire under 40, with his fortune valued at US$5.2 billion. By June of that year, he was ranked as the 311th richest individual worldwide on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with an estimated net worth of $5.42 billion.
Personal life
As of 2019, Zhan resides in Beijing, remains unmarried, and has no children.