Jack Ma

$28.10 B

Ranked #80 in World

About Jack Ma

Jack Ma Yun, born on September 10, 1964, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, is a co-founder of Alibaba Group, a multinational technology conglomerate. With a net worth of $34.5 billion as of June 2023, he is the fourth-wealthiest person in China and the 39th wealthiest person in the world. Ma earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hangzhou Normal University in 1988 and later co-founded Alibaba Group in 1999. He has been recognized for his philanthropic work and was ranked second on Fortune's "World's 50 Greatest Leaders" list in 2017.

Born

September 10, 1964

Age

61 years

Source Of Wealth

E-commerce

Industries

Technology

Citizenship

China

Residence

Hangzhou

Education

Bachelor of Arts/Science, Hangzhou Teacher's Institute

Spouse

Zhang Ying

Children

Jack Ma Yun was born on September 10, 1964, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. He grew up in Hangzhou and developed an interest in learning English at a young age. His grandfather served as a security guard during the Second Sino-Japanese War. At the age of 12, he bought a pocket radio and frequently listened to English radio stations. To practice English, he rode his bicycle 27 km daily for nine years to work as a tour guide in Hangzhou. A foreign pen pal nicknamed him "Jack" due to difficulty pronouncing his Chinese name. Ma transferred to Hangzhou No. 8 Middle School at age 13 due to frequent fights. He struggled academically in primary school and took two years to gain acceptance into an ordinary Chinese high school.

Ma's life took a significant turn when he met Ken Morley and his family while riding his bike to practice English. This encounter led to a life-changing trip to Australia. Despite failing the nation-wide Chinese college entrance exam twice, Ma eventually gained admission to Hangzhou Normal University's Department of English. He achieved academic excellence and became a top student in the foreign language department. Ma served as chairman of the student union and later as chairman of the Hangzhou Federation of Students for two terms.

Jack Ma: Family

Jack Ma's family background is not extensively documented. However, it is known that his grandfather served as a security guard during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Ma has not publicly shared much information about his parents or siblings.

Jack Ma: Career Highlights

After graduating from Hangzhou Normal University, Ma applied for 31 different entry-level jobs and was rejected for all. Undeterred, he started his first company, Hangzhou Haibo Translation Agency, in 1994. In early 1995, he traveled to the United States and realized the potential of the internet after failing to find information about China online.

This realization led him to open the first office for China Pages in April 1995 and register the domain chinapages.com. Within three years, the company generated significant profit, clearing approximately 5,000,000 RMB.

Ma's entrepreneurial journey continued as he built websites for Chinese companies with the help of friends in the United States. Despite lacking technical expertise, he became a successful entrepreneur and leader in the Chinese high-technology industry. From 1998 to 1999, he headed an information technology company established by the China International Electronic Commerce Center. In 1999, he returned to Hangzhou and co-founded Alibaba, a business-to-business marketplace site, with a group of friends.

Alibaba secured venture capital from Goldman Sachs and SoftBank in 1999 and 2000. Three years later, the company showed signs of profitability, and Ma aimed to improve the global e-commerce system. He established Taobao Marketplace, Alipay, Ali Mama, and Lynx from 2003 onwards. Notably, Ma rejected an offer from eBay to purchase Taobao and instead secured a $1 billion investment from Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang.

Jack Ma: Companies

Jack Ma is associated with several companies throughout his career. Here are some of the notable companies he has been involved with:

Alibaba Group: Ma co-founded Alibaba Group in 1999 and served as its executive chairman since then. Alibaba Group has nine major subsidiaries, including Alibaba.com, Taobao Marketplace, Tmall, eTao, Alibaba Cloud Computing, Juhuasuan, 1688.com, AliExpress.com, and Alipay.
Hangzhou Haibo Translation Agency: Ma's first company, founded in 1994, focused on translation services.
China Pages: Ma established China Pages in 1995, one of the earliest internet companies in China.
Yunfeng Capital: Ma co-founded Yunfeng Capital, a Chinese private equity firm, in 2010.
Hupan School: Ma founded the Hupan School, a business school, in 2015.
Jack Ma Foundation: Ma established the Jack Ma Foundation in 2018 to focus on improving education, the environment, and public health.

Jack Ma: Major Achievements

Jack Ma's major achievements include:

Co-founding Alibaba Group, one of the world's largest e-commerce companies.
Leading Alibaba Group to become a global technology conglomerate with a vast ecosystem of businesses.
Revolutionizing e-commerce in China and transforming the way people shop and do business online.
Promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in China and globally.
Becoming a prominent figure in the Chinese business community and an influential leader in the tech industry.
Making significant contributions to philanthropy and social causes through the Jack Ma Foundation and other initiatives.

Jack Ma: Awards & Achievements

Jack Ma has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career, including:

Recognized as one of the "Top 10 Economic Personalities of the Year" by China Central Television (CCTV) in 2004.
Selected as a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum in 2005.
Named one of the "25 Most Powerful Businesspeople in Asia" by Fortune in 2005.
Chosen as "Businessperson of the Year" by Businessweek in 2007.
Featured as one of the "World's Best CEOs" by Barron's in 2008.
Listed as one of the world's 100 most powerful people by Time magazine in 2009 and 2014.
Selected as one of China's Most Powerful People by BusinessWeek.
Honored as one of the Top 10 Most Respected Entrepreneurs in China by Forbes China in 2009.
Received the CCTV Economic Person of the Year: Business Leaders of the Decade Award in 2009.
Recognized as one of Asia's Heroes of Philanthropy by Forbes Asia in 2010.
Awarded an honorary doctoral degree by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2013.
Served as a board member of Japan's SoftBank and China's Huayi Brothers Media Corporation.
Became a trustee of The Nature Conservancy's China program in 2009 and joined its global board of directors in 2010.
Ranked as the 30th-most-powerful person in the world by Forbes in 2014.
Honored with the Entrepreneur of the Year award by Asian Award in 2015.
Received an honorary doctorate in education from National Taiwan Normal University.
Awarded the Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour in 2016.
Ranked second on Fortune's World's 50 Greatest Leaders list in 2017.
Placed third in a global tech innovation visionary survey conducted by KPMG in 2017.
Conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Science in Technopreneurship from De La Salle University Manila in 2017.
Presented with an honorary doctorate of Social Sciences by the University of Hong Kong in 2018.
Received an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University in 2018.
Appointed as an advocate for sustainable development goals by the United Nations Secretary-General in 2019.
Awarded a first class medal by King Abdullah II for contributions in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
To receive the Hilal e Quaid e Azam medal from the President of Pakistan for contributions in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Honored with the Confucius Education Award at the 2023 World Chinese Culture Festival in Tokyo.

Jack Ma: Personal Life & Legacy

Jack Ma is married to Zhang Ying, a former teacher whom he met while studying at Hangzhou Normal University. They have two children together. Ma is known for his humble beginnings and his passion for education and philanthropy. He has been vocal about his views on various topics, including the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the need for a positive value system in society. Ma's legacy lies in his significant contributions to the development of e-commerce and technology in China, as well as his commitment to social responsibility and improving the lives of others.

Jack Ma: Trivia

Jack Ma is a fan of martial arts and has practiced Tai Chi.
He is known for his eccentric personality and has performed on stage at Alibaba's annual events, including singing and dancing.
Ma has a passion for calligraphy and has written several books on business and leadership.
He is an avid reader and has a personal library with over 10,000 books.
Ma is a strong advocate for environmental protection and has invested in sustainable development projects.
He is a member of the Chinese Communist Party, which surprised many observers.
Ma's net worth is estimated to be around $34.5 billion as of June 2023, making him the fourth-wealthiest person in China and the 39th wealthiest person in the world.

Wealth History

Timeline

September 10, 1964

Jack Ma Yun is born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

1988

Earns a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hangzhou Normal University.

1994

Develops an interest in the internet industry and establishes his first business, Hangzhou Haibo Translation Agency.

April 1995

Opens the first office for China Pages and registers the domain chinapages.com.

1998-1999

Heads an information technology company established by the China International Electronic Commerce Center.

1999

Returns to Hangzhou and co-founds Alibaba, a business-to-business marketplace site, with a group of friends.

1999

Serves as the executive chairman of Alibaba Group.

2003

Establishes Taobao Marketplace.

2004

Recognized as one of the "Top 10 Economic Personalities of the Year" by China Central Television (CCTV).

2005

Selected as a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum.

2005

Named one of the "25 Most Powerful Businesspeople in Asia" by Fortune.

2007

Chosen as "Businessperson of the Year" by Businessweek.

2008

Featured as one of the "World's Best CEOs" by Barron's.

2009

Listed as one of the world's 100 most powerful people by Time magazine.

2009

Selected as one of China's Most Powerful People by BusinessWeek.

2009

Honored as one of the Top 10 Most Respected Entrepreneurs in China by Forbes China.

2009

Receives the CCTV Economic Person of the Year: Business Leaders of the Decade Award.

2010

Recognized as one of Asia's Heroes of Philanthropy by Forbes Asia.

2010

Alibaba Group announces that it will allocate 0.3% of annual revenue to environmental protection projects.

2011

Alibaba Group establishes the Alibaba Foundation to support various charitable causes.

2013

Steps down as the chief executive officer of Alibaba but remains as the executive chairman.

2013

Awarded an honorary doctoral degree by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

2014

Alibaba raises over $25 billion in an initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange.

2014

Ranked as the 30th-most-powerful person in the world by Forbes.

2015

Honored with the Entrepreneur of the Year award by Asian Award.

2015

Receives an honorary doctorate in education from National Taiwan Normal University.

2015

Launches Alibaba Hong Kong Young Entrepreneurs Foundation to support Hong Kong entrepreneurs.

2015

Funds the rebuilding of 1,000 houses damaged by the earthquake in Nepal.

2015

Raises money for another 9,000 houses damaged by the earthquake in Nepal.

2016

Awarded the Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.

2017

Ranked second on Fortune's World's 50 Greatest Leaders list.

2017

Placed third in a global tech innovation visionary survey conducted by KPMG.

2017

Conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Science in Technopreneurship from De La Salle University Manila.

2017

Makes acting debut in the kung fu short film Gong Shou Dao.

2018

Announces retirement from Alibaba Group Holding to focus on philanthropy through his foundation.

2018

Presented with an honorary doctorate of Social Sciences by the University of Hong Kong.

2018

Receives an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University.

2018

Founds the Hupan School, a business school.

2019

Appointed as an advocate for sustainable development goals by the United Nations Secretary-General.

2019

Named in Forbes' list of "Asia's 2019 Heroes of Philanthropy" and awarded the Malcolm S. Forbes Lifetime Achievement Award.

2020

Awarded a first class medal by King Abdullah II for contributions in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020

Chinese government stops plans for an IPO of Ant Group, a company founded by Ma, due to his criticism of Chinese financial regulators.

2020

Noted absence from public appearances between October 2020 and January 2021, coinciding with regulatory crackdowns on his businesses.

2021

Makes a public appearance in January 2021 via video link to a charitable event.

2021

Seen golfing at the Sun Valley Golf Resort in Hainan, China, in February 2021.

2021

Ordered by Chinese regulators to sell off certain media companies, including Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, in March 2021.

2021

Ranked 26th in the "2021 Forbes Global Rich List" with a fortune of $48.4 billion USD.

2021

Alibaba Group tops the 2021 China Charity List with a total cash donation of 3.22 billion yuan.

2022

Reportedly living a low profile life in Tokyo, Japan, in November 2022.

2023

Spotted at the Yungu school in Hangzhou, China, in March 2023, confirming his first public appearance in several months.

2023

Appointed as a Visiting Professor at Tokyo College, University of Tokyo.

Jack Ma : FAQs

What is Jack Ma's current net worth?

Jack Ma's current net worth is $28.10 billion.

What is Jack Ma's current global rank among billionaires?

Jack Ma holds the 80th position globally among billionaires.

What is Jack Ma's current ranking within the China?

Jack Ma holds the 8th position in China.

What was the change in Jack Ma's net worth compared to the previous year?

Jack Ma's net worth decreased by 1.14 billion dollars compared to the previous year 2025, when his net worth was 29.23 billion dollars.

What is the recent change in Jack Ma's net worth?

Jack Ma's net worth increased by 157.27 million dollars recently, a 0.56% increase, with his net worth standing at 28.10 billion dollars.

What are Jack Ma's main sources of wealth?

Jack Ma's main source of income comes from E-commerce.

In which industry does Jack Ma primarily operate?

Jack Ma is primarily involved in the Technology industry.

What is Jack Ma educational background?

Jack Ma holds a Bachelor of Arts/Science from Hangzhou Teacher's Institute.

How old is Jack Ma?

Jack Ma is 61 years old.

When and where was Jack Ma Yun born?

Jack Ma Yun was born on September 10, 1964, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

What are the notable business ventures of Jack Ma Yun?

Jack Ma Yun is the co-founder of Alibaba Group, a multinational technology conglomerate, and Yunfeng Capital, a Chinese private equity firm.

What are some key achievements and recognitions of Jack Ma Yun?

Jack Ma Yun has been ranked second in the 'World's 50 Greatest Leaders' list by Fortune in 2017. He has also been named in Forbes Magazine's list of 'Asia's 2019 Heroes of Philanthropy' and ranked 26th in the '2021 Forbes Global Rich List' with a fortune of $48.4 billion USD.

What are some philanthropic endeavors of Jack Ma Yun?

Jack Ma Yun is the founder of the Jack Ma Foundation, which focuses on improving education, the environment, and public health. He has also launched various initiatives through the Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.