Top 10 Richest People in Dubai 2026 and Their Net Worth

Introduction

Dubai is home to billionaires from cryptocurrency, real estate, retail, education, construction and technology. Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, currently stands far above the other Dubai-based billionaires by estimated wealth.

Dubai is home to some of the richest businesspeople in the world. But who is the richest person in Dubai in 2026?

The answer is Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as CZ.

According to the latest Forbes figures available in late July 2026, Changpeng Zhao had an estimated net worth of about $108 billion. Forbes lists his residence as Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

CZ is the founder and former CEO of Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. His fortune puts him far ahead of other billionaires who live in Dubai.

However, there is an important difference between the richest person living in Dubai and the richest Emirati.

Changpeng Zhao is a Canadian citizen who resides in Dubai. Hussain Sajwani, the founder and chairman of DAMAC Properties, is the richest UAE billionaire in Forbes’ 2026 country ranking.

Richest People in Dubai 2026

The following ranking uses the latest wealth estimates available for billionaires whose residence is listed as Dubai.

Rank	Name	Estimated Net Worth	Main Source of Wealth
1	Changpeng Zhao	$108 billion	Cryptocurrency, Binance
2	Vinod Adani	$28 billion	Infrastructure and commodities
3	Hussain Sajwani	$15.3 billion	Real estate
4	Pavel Durov	$6.6 billion	Telegram
5	Renuka Jagtiani	$5.6 billion	Retail
6	Abdulla Al Futtaim & family	$4.7 billion	Automobiles and investments
7	Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair & family	$4.6 billion	Banking and diversified businesses
8	Ravi Pillai	$4.2 billion	Construction
9	Sunny Varkey	$4 billion	Education
10	P.N.C. Menon	$3.9 billion	Real estate

These figures are estimates, not fixed amounts of cash. Billionaire net worth can rise or fall because of company values, investments, cryptocurrencies, property and financial markets.

1. Changpeng Zhao – About $108 Billion

Changpeng Zhao is currently the richest person living in Dubai based on the latest ranking reviewed for this article.

He is better known by his initials, CZ.

Zhao founded Binance in 2017. The cryptocurrency exchange grew rapidly and became one of the world’s largest crypto trading platforms.

A large part of Zhao’s wealth is connected to his ownership in Binance and cryptocurrency assets.

Zhao was born in Jiangsu, China, and later moved to Canada with his family. He studied computer science at McGill University.

Before entering cryptocurrency, he worked with technology used in financial trading systems.

He stepped down as CEO of Binance in 2023. He remains widely known as the company’s founder and one of the most important figures in the cryptocurrency industry.

His estimated net worth was around $108 billion in late July 2026, with Dubai listed as his residence.

This makes Changpeng Zhao the strongest current answer to the question, “Who is the richest person in Dubai?”

2. Vinod Adani – About $28 Billion

Vinod Adani is another extremely wealthy Dubai resident.

He is the older brother of Gautam Adani and has business interests connected with companies in the Adani Group.

The wider Adani business empire operates across sectors including ports, airports, infrastructure, energy, power and commodities.

Vinod Adani’s estimated fortune was around $28 billion in late July 2026.

His residence is listed as Dubai, while his citizenship is listed as Cyprus.

This is an important distinction because some online lists simply describe him as an Indian billionaire because of his close connection to the India-based Adani business group.

3. Hussain Sajwani – About $15.3 Billion

Hussain Sajwani is one of Dubai’s best-known property developers.

He founded DAMAC Properties in 2002 and serves as its chairman.

DAMAC became a major name in luxury real estate development in Dubai and other markets.

Before entering property development, Sajwani worked in food services and catering.

His estimated net worth was around $15.3 billion in 2026.

Sajwani is especially important in this ranking because he is a UAE citizen.

He is considered the richest billionaire representing the United Arab Emirates in the 2026 country ranking.

Therefore:

Richest person residing in Dubai: Changpeng Zhao.

Richest Emirati billionaire: Hussain Sajwani.

The two descriptions should not be confused.

4. Pavel Durov – About $6.6 Billion

Pavel Durov is the founder and owner of Telegram.

Telegram is one of the world’s largest messaging platforms, with more than one billion monthly active users.

Durov previously created VKontakte, commonly known as VK, before later establishing Telegram.

He lives in Dubai, and Telegram also has a strong business connection with the city.

His estimated wealth was approximately $6.6 billion in July 2026.

His technology fortune makes him one of the richest people living in Dubai.

5. Renuka Jagtiani – About $5.6 Billion

Renuka Jagtiani is the chairwoman of Landmark Group.

Landmark Group is a major Dubai-based retail company with operations across the Middle East and other regions.

The business was founded by her late husband, Micky Jagtiani.

Renuka Jagtiani now oversees the group’s strategy and new business opportunities.

Landmark Group operates thousands of stores across many countries.

Her estimated net worth was approximately $5.6 billion in late July 2026.

She is an Indian citizen residing in Dubai.

6. Abdulla Al Futtaim & Family – About $4.7 Billion

Abdulla Al Futtaim owns Al-Futtaim Group, one of the UAE’s major family business groups.

The group has interests across automobiles, retail, real estate and investments.

It has a long relationship with Toyota in the UAE and also operates major international retail brands in the region.

Abdulla’s son, Omar Al Futtaim, serves as vice chairman and CEO of the group.

The family’s estimated fortune was approximately $4.7 billion in July 2026.

Abdulla Al Futtaim is a UAE citizen and Dubai resident.

7. Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair & Family – About $4.6 Billion

Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair is a well-known Emirati businessman with interests in banking and several other industries.

He founded Mashreqbank in 1967 and later stepped down as chairman in 2019.

Businesses associated with the Al Ghurair family have interests in food, construction, property and financial services.

The family’s estimated fortune was around $4.6 billion in July 2026.

He is a UAE citizen living in Dubai.

8. Ravi Pillai – About $4.2 Billion

Ravi Pillai built his fortune mainly through construction.

After facing difficulties with an early construction venture in India, he moved to Saudi Arabia and rebuilt his career in the Gulf.

He established what later became RP Group in 1978.

His business interests expanded beyond construction into hotels, property and investments.

Ravi Pillai is an Indian citizen residing in Dubai.

His estimated fortune was approximately $4.2 billion in July 2026.

9. Sunny Varkey – About $4 Billion

Sunny Varkey built his wealth through education.

He controls GEMS Education, one of the world’s major private school operators.

His parents were teachers who moved to Dubai in 1959.

Varkey later took over the management of his parents’ school and helped grow the education business into a major international group.

His sons Dino and Jay Varkey also hold senior leadership positions in GEMS.

Sunny Varkey’s estimated fortune was around $4 billion in late July 2026.

He is an Indian citizen and Dubai resident.

10. P.N.C. Menon – About $3.9 Billion

P.N.C. Menon is a property entrepreneur and founder of Sobha Group.

His business career in the Gulf began after he moved to Oman in 1976 and entered the interior decoration industry.

He later established Sobha Developers in India in 1995.

His property interests expanded significantly, including major real estate operations in Dubai and other Gulf markets.

Menon’s estimated net worth was around $3.9 billion in July 2026.

He is an Omani citizen residing in Dubai.

His son Ravi Menon became chairman of Sobha Group in 2024, while P.N.C. Menon remains the founder.

Who Is the Richest Person in Dubai?

Changpeng Zhao is currently the richest billionaire listed as a resident of Dubai.

His estimated fortune of about $108 billion puts him far ahead of Vinod Adani, who ranks second with approximately $28 billion.

CZ made most of his fortune through Binance and cryptocurrency.

It is important to describe him as the richest Dubai resident, because he is not an Emirati citizen.

Who Is the Richest Emirati in Dubai?

Hussain Sajwani is the richest Emirati billionaire based on the 2026 UAE billionaire ranking.

His estimated fortune is about $15.3 billion.

He founded DAMAC Properties and built most of his wealth through real estate.

Therefore, someone asking “Who is the richest UAE businessman?” is more likely looking for Hussain Sajwani rather than Changpeng Zhao.

Who Is the Richest Indian Living in Dubai?

Among the Dubai residents in this ranking who hold Indian citizenship, Renuka Jagtiani has the highest estimated wealth at approximately $5.6 billion.

She is followed by Ravi Pillai at around $4.2 billion and Sunny Varkey at around $4 billion.

Vinod Adani has strong links with Indian business, but his current citizenship is listed as Cyprus.

Why Do So Many Billionaires Live in Dubai?

Dubai has developed into an important international centre for business, property, finance, retail, technology and education.

Many international entrepreneurs manage companies or investments from the city.

Dubai is also home to major businesses created by Emirati families, including DAMAC, Al-Futtaim Group and companies linked to the Al Ghurair family.

Readers interested in companies, entrepreneurs, property and commercial activity across the Emirates can also explore Richest Person in Abu Dhabi.

Is Net Worth the Same as Money in the Bank?

No.

A billionaire’s estimated net worth is the estimated value of assets after considering financial obligations.

Assets can include company ownership, shares, cryptocurrency, property and other investments.

For this reason, saying Changpeng Zhao has an estimated net worth of about $108 billion does not mean he has $108 billion in cash.

His estimated wealth can also change quickly because a large part of it is linked to businesses and cryptocurrency.

Why Can the Richest People in Dubai Ranking Change?

Billionaire rankings change regularly.

A person’s estimated wealth can increase or decrease when company valuations change, stock prices move, cryptocurrency prices rise or fall, or major business transactions take place.

This is why financial figures in a richest-people ranking should always include a date.

The figures in this article are based on estimates available in late July 2026 and were reviewed in August 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the richest person in Dubai in 2026?

Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, is currently the richest billionaire listed as a Dubai resident. His estimated wealth was around $108 billion in late July 2026.

What does Changpeng Zhao do?

Changpeng Zhao founded Binance in 2017. He is the company’s former CEO and built most of his wealth through his ownership in Binance and cryptocurrency assets.

Is Hussain Sajwani the richest person in Dubai?

Hussain Sajwani is not the richest Dubai resident when foreign billionaires living in the city are included. However, he is the richest Emirati billionaire in the UAE’s 2026 billionaire ranking.

Who is the second-richest person living in Dubai?

Vinod Adani is second in this ranking, with an estimated fortune of around $28 billion in late July 2026.

Who are the richest Emirati businessmen in Dubai?

Hussain Sajwani, Abdulla Al Futtaim and Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair are among the wealthiest UAE citizens living in Dubai.

Are billionaire net worth figures exact?

No. Billionaire net worth figures are estimates and can change frequently as the value of companies, shares, investments, property and cryptocurrencies changes.

Final Words

Dubai is home to an unusual mix of local Emirati billionaires and international entrepreneurs.

Changpeng Zhao is currently the richest Dubai resident, with an estimated fortune of around $108 billion.

Vinod Adani ranks second at approximately $28 billion, while DAMAC founder Hussain Sajwani follows with approximately $15.3 billion.

Sajwani remains especially important because he is the richest Emirati billionaire in the UAE’s 2026 ranking.

The key point is simple: the richest person living in Dubai and the richest Emirati are not currently the same person.