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Liu Debing
Rank #169
CHINA•technology•AI

Liu Debing

Net Worth
$16.822B
-6.6% (24h)
Liu Debing, a prominent figure in the technology sector, is the chairman of Zhipu, also known as Z.ai, a Chinese AI firm. His net worth is estimated at $2.1 billion as of January 2026, stemming from his stake in Zhipu. His wealth source is AI, and he is a self-made billionaire. Liu Debing's career includes experience as an engineer at Technicolor (China) Technology and work at Tsinghua University before founding Zhipu in 2019. The company's successful IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in January 2026 was a major achievement, raising $558 million. Zhipu's core technology involves GLM series of large models, supporting text generation, semantic understanding and cross-modal reasoning. He is also a veteran in the computing technology industry. Liu Debing's vision is to advance AI and make a global impact with his company, especially in Southeast Asia.

How to read Liu Debing's profile

Public net-worth figures are estimates. They combine observable inputs—typically listed equity, disclosed transactions, and market prices—with editorial judgment where filings are incomplete (for example, private holdings, debt, or cross-holdings). For Liu Debing, we anchor the narrative to Zhipu (Z.ai) and AI, then update the headline number as markets move. The chart on this page is meant to show trajectory, not a certified balance sheet.

When you see $16.822B alongside global rank #169, interpret it as our best synthesis of widely cited ownership and price signals—not a claim about cash on hand. Estimates can diverge from other publishers because of different treatment of options, trusts, charitable vehicles, or illiquid assets. We document the general approach in methodology and welcome corrections via corrections.

Country (CHINA) and career milestones on this page are curated for reader context; they should be verified against primary sources when used for research. Editorial metadata for this profile is refreshed on a rolling basis, with deeper audits at least annually (last noted cycle: 2026).

Looking for depth? When available, the dossier and timeline sections below add long-form context beyond the headline number—prioritize those modules when evaluating claims about strategy, controversies, or philanthropic commitments.

The Full Dossier

Early Life

Information about Liu Debing's early life is limited in the search results, however, we know that he worked for almost two decades at Tsinghua University, which is also President Xi Jinping's alma mater.

Rise to Success

Liu Debing is the chairman and cofounder of Zhipu (also known as Z.ai), a Chinese AI model company. In 2019, he co-founded the firm with Zhang Peng. In January 2026, the company went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising $558 million. Based on his stake in Zhipu, Forbes estimates Liu Debing is worth $2.1 billion.

Key Business Strategies

Zhipu's core technology is its independently developed GLM series of large models. The company is focusing on affordable AI services, a move it says will trigger a global AI price war. They are also building "sovereign AI" infrastructure with other countries, and have expanded into Southeast Asia. In H1 2025, revenue was driven by MaaS, reaching $27 million, but the company reported a net loss of $330 million due to research and development spending.

Philanthropy

No information regarding Liu Debing's philanthropy was found.

Career Timeline

2026

Zhipu IPO

Zhipu went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in January 2026, raising $558 million.

2019

Co-founded Zhipu (Z.ai)

Liu Debing co-founded the Chinese AI firm, which would later become a major player in the AI industry.

Key Business Ventures & Holdings

CompanyStakeValue
Zhipu AI—$2.1M

Net Worth History

In-Depth Analysis

Early Life

Information about Liu Debing's early life is limited in the search results, however, we know that he worked for almost two decades at Tsinghua University, which is also President Xi Jinping's alma mater.

Rise to Success

Liu Debing is the chairman and cofounder of Zhipu (also known as Z.ai), a Chinese AI model company. In 2019, he co-founded the firm with Zhang Peng. In January 2026, the company went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising $558 million. Based on his stake in Zhipu, Forbes estimates Liu Debing is worth $2.1 billion.

Key Business Strategies

Zhipu's core technology is its independently developed GLM series of large models. The company is focusing on affordable AI services, a move it says will trigger a global AI price war. They are also building "sovereign AI" infrastructure with other countries, and have expanded into Southeast Asia. In H1 2025, revenue was driven by MaaS, reaching $27 million, but the company reported a net loss of $330 million due to research and development spending.

Philanthropy

No information regarding Liu Debing's philanthropy was found.

Data Sources & Methodology

Figures for Liu Debing are synthesized from the sources below and cross-checked against our net worth methodology. Estimates may lag market moves; see corrections to report discrepancies.

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