We chose them based on their role in technology, policy, and capital. This list is not a ranking and not investment advice.

Key Takeaways

• This list has 10 figures: five are founders of crypto networks or companies (Satoshi Nakamoto, Vitalik Buterin, Changpeng Zhao, Anatoly Yakovenko, Justin Sun), and the other five influence policy, capital, or market sentiment (Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Michael Saylor, Cynthia Lummis, Cathie Wood).
• Satoshi Nakamoto is a pseudonym. The real identity has not been proven.
• Strategy, the company where Michael Saylor is executive chairman, holds 848,517 BTC as of October 27, 2026.
• In the US, the CLARITY Act on crypto market structure failed a procedural vote in the Senate on September 15, 2026 (49 in favor, 50 against).
• The facts in this article are accurate as of October 28, 2026. Positions and holdings can change.
• This list is not a ranking and not investment advice.

What "Influential" Means in This List

There is no single official ranking of crypto figures. Mobee Academy uses three criteria:

1. Technology and networks. People who created or founded a major crypto network or platform.
2. Policy and regulation. People whose decisions or proposals affect crypto rules.
3. Capital and adoption. People who move funds, investment products, or public attention toward crypto assets.

These choices are our editorial judgment and may differ from other lists.

The 10 Most Influential Crypto Figures in 2026

1. Satoshi Nakamoto - Creator of Bitcoin

Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym of the creator of Bitcoin. The Bitcoin whitepaper was published on October 31, 2008, and the network's first block (the genesis block) was created on January 9, 2009. Satoshi was last known to communicate in 2011, then disappeared. To this day, the identity has not been proven.

Satoshi is estimated to hold about 1.1 million BTC that have not moved since 2010. This figure is only an estimate, not official data. Satoshi's biggest influence is in Bitcoin's design: a limited supply of 21 million coins and a network without intermediaries.

Read the full profile at Satoshi Nakamoto.

2. Vitalik Buterin - Co-Founder of Ethereum

Vitalik Buterin is a programmer born in Russia who grew up in Canada. He proposed Ethereum in a 2013 whitepaper, and the network launched in 2015. Ethereum added smart contracts, which are programs that run automatically on a blockchain. This feature became the foundation for stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), and many other applications.

Vitalik remains a voice that the Ethereum community follows. His full profile is at Vitalik Buterin.

3. Changpeng Zhao (CZ) - Founder of Binance

Changpeng Zhao founded Binance in 2017. He stepped down as CEO in November 2023 after pleading guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act in a deal with the US Department of Justice. In April 2024 he was sentenced to four months in prison and was released on September 27, 2024. President Donald Trump pardoned him on October 23, 2025.

According to Forbes (list updated May 2026), his net worth is about US$110 billion and he ranks 17th among the world's richest people, mostly from his holdings in Binance. Net worth figures like this are estimates and change with asset values.

Read the full profile at Changpeng Zhao.

4. Donald Trump - US President and Crypto Policy Figure

Donald Trump has served as President of the United States for a second term since January 2025. His administration has taken several crypto-related steps:

• March 6, 2025: an executive order that created the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (June 3, 2026), the reserve holds about 207,000 BTC, mostly from criminal and civil seizures, not market purchases.
• July 18, 2025: Trump signed the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin framework law in the US.

On the other side, the crypto business involvement tied to Trump and his family has become a subject of ethics debate in Congress. According to American Banker, a deadlock in ethics talks helped cause the CLARITY Act to fail in the Senate on September 15, 2026. Supporters and critics see this differently, so follow news from several sources.

Learn the concept at crypto strategic reserve.

5. Elon Musk - CEO of Tesla and SpaceX

Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. In 2025 he was involved in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but according to Reuters reports he left his special government employee position in May 2025, and DOGE was reported to no longer be operating as of November 2025.

His influence in crypto comes mainly from his social media posts, which are often linked to Dogecoin price moves. Remember, correlation is not proof of cause and effect, and prices can move sharply in both directions.

6. Michael Saylor - Executive Chairman of Strategy

Michael Saylor is a co-founder and executive chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy, renamed in February 2025). Strategy made Bitcoin the main asset on the company's balance sheet.

As of October 27, 2026, Strategy holds 848,517 BTC, about 4.04% of the total Bitcoin supply. On June 29, 2026, its total holdings were 847,363 BTC at an average acquisition cost of US$75,651 per BTC (company Form 8-K). This model carries risk: the value of the company's balance sheet rises and falls with the Bitcoin price.

7. Anatoly Yakovenko - Co-Founder of Solana

Anatoly Yakovenko is a co-founder of Solana Labs. He published the Proof of History concept in November 2017, and the Solana mainnet beta was released in March 2020. Solana is designed to process transactions quickly and is widely used for DeFi apps, NFTs, and memecoins.

The network has also experienced outages, so reliability remains something users and investors keep an eye on.

8. Cynthia Lummis - US Senator

Cynthia Lummis has been a Republican Senator from Wyoming since January 2021. She is known as one of the most active US politicians pushing for crypto regulation, including the digital asset market structure bill and the proposed BITCOIN Act on a national Bitcoin reserve.

On December 19, 2025, she announced she would not run again in 2026, and her term ends in January 2027. After the CLARITY Act failed in the Senate on September 15, 2026, its next step likely waits for the next Congress.

9. Justin Sun - Founder of Tron

Justin Sun is the founder of Tron. On November 26, 2024, World Liberty Financial, a crypto project backed by the Trump family, announced Sun as an advisor after a US$30 million investment.

On March 5, 2026, the SEC ended its three-year lawsuit against Sun and related entities. One of Sun's companies, Rainberry, paid a US$10 million fine, and Sun's side neither admitted nor denied the SEC's allegations.

10. Cathie Wood - CEO of ARK Invest

Cathie Wood is a co-founder and CEO of ARK Invest, an asset manager founded in 2014. ARK manages thematic funds focused on innovative technology, and Wood is often in the spotlight when she discusses digital assets. Her influence lies in the attention of institutional and retail investors, not in building crypto technology.

Crypto Figures Comparison Table

Facts are accurate as of October 28, 2026.

Their Influence on the Crypto Industry in 2026

Technology and networks

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Tron are networks with different goals. Bitcoin is designed as digital money with a limited supply. Ethereum and Solana became application platforms. Knowing the differences helps you assess the risk of each asset. Learn more in the different types of crypto.

Policy in the United States

US policy often moves global sentiment. Two steps are already in motion: the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the GENIUS Act. One big step has not passed: the CLARITY Act failed on September 15, 2026, and according to American Banker it will likely only be discussed again in the next Congress. Rule certainty can change, so do not treat one piece of news as a sure direction for the market.

Institutional and corporate capital

Strategy shows one approach: a company holds Bitcoin on its balance sheet. This approach is risky because the company's value fluctuates with the asset price. Asset managers like ARK Invest bring digital asset themes to investors through investment products. For you in Indonesia, the rules on crypto tax and crypto payment methods are practical things to understand first.

How to Start Investing in Crypto

Knowing these figures is not a reason to buy a particular asset. If you want to start, here is a sensible order:

1. Understand the basics and the risks. Crypto is highly volatile and its value can drop sharply.
2. Decide on an amount you can afford to risk. Do not use money you need for daily expenses.
3. Learn about fees and taxes. Check crypto tax and the fee rules in the app.
4. Prepare your funds. See the guide to depositing via QRIS.
5. Start with a small amount. Read crypto trading tips before you buy.
6. Explore other features if needed. For example spot grid, auto invest, crypto staking, or Earn products. Each feature has its own risks and terms, so read the explanation first.

See all guides in the Mobee Academy tutorials.

Start Exploring Digital Assets on Mobee

Mobee is operated by PT CTXG Indonesia Berkarya, which is licensed and supervised by OJK. You can buy crypto assets with rupiah and learn through Mobee Academy guides. Research the asset you want to buy first, then install the Mobee app to get started. Crypto is high risk, so start with a small amount.

Conclusion

Crypto figures shape technology, rules, and market sentiment, but their influence does not guarantee that asset prices will rise. This list includes network founders like Satoshi Nakamoto, Vitalik Buterin, Changpeng Zhao, Anatoly Yakovenko, and Justin Sun, as well as policy and capital figures like Donald Trump, Cynthia Lummis, Michael Saylor, Elon Musk, and Cathie Wood. Check facts against up-to-date sources, separate fact from opinion, and make your own decision.

FAQ

Disclaimer

This article is for education and is not investment advice, or an invitation to buy or sell any asset. The facts in this article are accurate as of October 28, 2026 and may change. Crypto assets are high risk, their value can rise and fall, and you can lose some or all of your funds. Do your own research and consider your financial situation.