Top 10 Individuals with the Largest Personal Crypto Holdings According to Arkham

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Blockchain intelligence platform Arkham has compiled a comprehensive ranking of the top 10 individuals holding the largest personal crypto asset portfolios on-chain. This list offers a rare glimpse into the digital wealth of some of the most influential figures in the cryptocurrency space, from project founders to early adopters and institutional investors. While total holdings amount to billions of dollars, a striking portion—over 35% among the top five—is marked as "unreachable," often due to lost private keys or inaccessible hardware wallets.

The data reflects real-time on-chain balances as of the latest update, though Arkham’s tracking is limited to known and verified addresses. The original dashboard was published in March 2024, but current balances are dynamically updated based on live blockchain activity.

This ranking not only highlights the scale of individual crypto wealth but also underscores a persistent issue in the decentralized world: security, access, and self-custody risks. Let’s explore who tops the list and what their portfolios reveal about long-term crypto accumulation strategies.

🏆 The Top 5 Largest Personal Crypto Holders

Justin Sun – $1.089 Billion

At the top of Arkham’s list is Justin Sun, founder of the TRON blockchain, with a staggering $1.089 billion in on-chain assets. His portfolio is highly diversified across stablecoins and native TRON ecosystem tokens:

Additional analysis by on-chain researcher Yujin reveals even larger holdings across multiple Ethereum and TRON addresses, including **598,900 ETH (~$1.9 billion)** and over **5 billion TRX**, suggesting Sun’s total crypto net worth may exceed $4.1 billion when off-listed addresses are considered.

👉 Discover how top crypto investors manage multi-billion-dollar portfolios across chains.

Rain Lohmus – $815 Million (With 250,000 ETH Lost)

Rain Lohmus, founder of Estonia-based LHV Bank, ranks second with $815 million in accessible crypto assets—primarily Ethereum (ETH). However, his story carries a cautionary tale: he has permanently lost access to 250,000 ETH acquired during early ICOs in 2014.

At today’s prices, that lost stash would be worth over **$750 million**, pushing his potential total holdings well beyond $1.5 billion. Despite numerous recovery attempts, the wallet remains locked due to lost credentials.

Lohmus has publicly offered to split the recovered funds with anyone who can unlock the wallet—a move that highlights both the immense value trapped in forgotten wallets and the irreversible nature of blockchain security.

Vitalik Buterin – $803.8 Million

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin secures third place with $803.8 million in on-chain assets, predominantly held in ETH. His wallet includes:

Unlike many ultra-wealthy crypto figures, Buterin is known for his philanthropic transfers and active participation in Ethereum governance rather than profit maximization. He has previously donated large sums to public goods funding and climate research, often using privacy-preserving mechanisms like quadratic funding.

His relatively lean portfolio—compared to others on this list—reflects a philosophy centered on decentralization and community ownership over personal wealth accumulation.

Stefan Thomas – $468 Million (But Can’t Access It)

Former Ripple CTO Stefan Thomas holds 7,003 BTC, valued at $468 million, making him the fourth-largest individual holder on Arkham’s list. However, there’s a critical catch: he cannot access his IronKey hardware wallet.

After eight failed password attempts, he has only two tries left before the device permanently encrypts all data. The wallet contains a significant portion of his early Bitcoin holdings—an irreversible risk faced by many early adopters.

A specialized crypto recovery firm, Unciphered, claims they may be able to bypass the 10-attempt limit using advanced forensic techniques developed through brute-force testing on similar drives ("200 trillion attempts"). Yet Thomas has not authorized the recovery effort—possibly due to privacy or ethical concerns.

This case exemplifies one of crypto’s greatest paradoxes: owning vast wealth while being locked out of it forever.

👉 Learn how secure wallet practices can prevent irreversible asset loss.

James Fickel – $459 Million

James Fickel, founder of Amaranth Foundation, holds $459 million in digital assets. His portfolio is heavily concentrated in yield-bearing derivatives:

Fickel’s strategy appears focused on maximizing yield through lending and staking protocols—leveraging DeFi to compound returns without selling core assets. This approach aligns with a growing trend among long-term holders who treat crypto not just as an investment but as a productive asset class.

🔍 Other Notable Whales on the List

Patricio Worthalter – $235 Million

POAP (Proof of Attendance Protocol) founder Patricio Worthalter holds around $235 million, mainly in:

His holdings reflect deep involvement in Ethereum’s infrastructure and governance layers.

Luggis (@luggisdoteth) – $47.75 Million

Known in the community as @luggisdoteth, this whale holds $47.75 million across various DeFi assets:

Luggis is recognized for active participation in protocol governance and liquidity provision.

smartestmoney.eth – $81,600 (Recent Transfers)

Despite currently showing only $81,600 on Arkham, smartestmoney.eth recently transferred over 18.66 million USD worth of ETH to Binance, indicating significant liquidity movement. This suggests strategic rebalancing rather than diminished holdings.

Winslow Strong – $30.61 Million

Winslow Strong, Managing Director at Cluster Capital, holds $30.61 million, primarily in:

His portfolio reflects a focus on wrapped assets and DeFi-native instruments.

vladilena.eth (@0xVladilena) – $9.62 Million

Rounding out the list is vladilena.eth with $9.62 million, mostly in ezETH (EigenLayer restaked ETH), along with small amounts of ETH, PULS, and TSUKA—indicating exposure to emerging restaking protocols.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How does Arkham identify these individuals?
A: Arkham uses on-chain analytics, public disclosures, wallet labeling, and known transaction patterns to attribute addresses to real-world identities. However, not all addresses are confirmed.

Q: Why are some large holdings marked as “unreachable”?
A: Many early adopters lost access due to forgotten passwords or damaged hardware wallets. Blockchain assets cannot be recovered without private keys—highlighting the importance of secure backup practices.

Q: Is this list comprehensive?
A: No. Arkham tracks only known and labeled addresses. Many whales use anonymous wallets or cold storage that remain undetected.

Q: Can someone regain access to a locked wallet like Stefan Thomas’s?
A: In rare cases, recovery firms like Unciphered may attempt forensic decryption. However, success is not guaranteed and depends on hardware vulnerabilities.

Q: Are these net worth figures accurate?
A: These reflect on-chain balances only. Many individuals hold additional assets off-chain or across multiple unlinked wallets.

Q: What can ordinary users learn from these whales?
A: Diversification, long-term holding (HODLing), yield optimization via DeFi, and—critically—secure key management are common traits among successful holders.

👉 See how professional investors track and manage high-value crypto portfolios today.

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