Zhou Qunfei Becomes China's Richest Woman With $19B Fortune

Zhou Qunfei, founder of Lens Technology, a Chinese technology company, has become China’s richest woman, with a personal fortune of 127 billion yuan (approximately $19 billion), according to the 2026 Hurun Rich List released on October 27. Her leap in the ranks demonstrates the overall trend of increasing women entrepreneurs' influence in China's business world, and her company is also facing more financial pressures.

Zhou’s wealth, combined with that of her husband, Zheng Junlong, reaches 128 billion yuan (approximately $19.2 billion), placing the couple 33rd on the overall list. She has surpassed Hansoh Pharmaceutical founder Zhong Huijuan and her daughter Sun Yuan, who have a combined net worth of 124 billion yuan, to rank 35th.

The latest rankings reflect the expanding presence of women in wealth creation. Women entrepreneurs make up 23.2% of this year's list up from 0.8 percentage point from the previous year, according to the Hurun Research Institute. Over 70% of these women are self-made, highlighting entrepreneurship, innovation and business leadership as key factors in creating huge wealth.

Key Highlights

• Zhou Qunfei leads China’s female rich list with $19 billion
• Self-made women account for over 70% of female entrepreneurs on the list
• Lens Technology’s net profit fell 50.06% in the first nine months of 2026

Zhou’s entrepreneurial journey began with significant personal challenges. She grew up in a poor family and quit junior high school and began working at Aoya Optical Glass Products Factory. In 1993, she was 23 and quit her job to build her own company, and began to pave the way to her success.

Zhou officially started Lens Technology in 2003, which eventually evolved into a leading supplier of glass cover screens to consumer electronics products. The company started collaborating with Apple in 2006, for the first generation of the iPhone, and after being certified, joined Apple's supplier network.

Her business continued to grow in the years that followed and in 2015; Lens Technology went public on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in China. The company also became listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2025, thus gaining market access to both exchanges. Its operations now extend across smart devices, artificial intelligence hardware, optical interconnects and commercial aerospace.

Zhou’s rise from factory worker to billionaire entrepreneur represents a notable example of self-made female leadership. Her career reflects the opportunities created through manufacturing expertise, long-term business development and the ability to build relationships with major global technology brands.

The announcement of Zhou’s ranking came shortly after Lens Technology reported weaker financial results. The company's revenue totalled 47.902 billion yuan for the first three quarters of 2026, a 10.74% decrease year-on-year, and its net profit attributable to shareholders decreased 50.06% to 1.42 billion yuan. Net profit in the third quarter fell 50.42%.

Company executives attributed the pressure to rising memory chip prices, the appreciation of the yuan against the US dollar and changes in the launch schedule of a major customer’s new products. These factors affected demand and revenue recognition across parts of its business.

Meanwhile, Lens Technology is pursuing opportunities in artificial intelligence infrastructure. On October 16, it announced its intention to acquire a 59.78% stake in PMG for $25 million to further strengthen its presence in AI computing and server-related hardware.

Zhou's success has brought her to the ranks of leading female entrepreneurs driving China's economic growth. Her new ranking is a major achievement of wealth, but the company's financial health and diversification will continue to be significant indicators of where the company's business is going.