Michael Bloomberg and Lei Jun both built giant companies on technology. One sells data and news to Wall Street. The other sells phones, smart devices, and cars to millions of homes. Their paths look very different, yet they share a few surprising links.
This guide puts the two men side by side. You will see how each built his business, who is richer, how they give back, and why their names often show up in the same search. Net worth figures change every day, so treat all numbers here as estimates.
Michael Bloomberg and Lei Jun at a Glance
Start with the basics. Michael Bloomberg is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and former three-term mayor of New York City. Lei Jun is a Chinese engineer and investor. He founded Xiaomi and serves as its chairman and CEO.
Both men are billionaires, but they sit on very different rungs. Bloomberg’s fortune is above 90 billion dollars and rests mostly on one private company. Lei Jun’s fortune moves with the Xiaomi share price in Hong Kong.
| Detail | Michael Bloomberg | Lei Jun |
|---|---|---|
| Born | 14 February 1942, Boston, USA | 16 December 1969, Hubei, China |
| Main company | Bloomberg LP | Xiaomi |
| Year founded | 1981 | 2010 |
| Core products | Bloomberg Terminal, data, news | Smartphones, smart home devices, electric cars |
| Company status | Private | Listed in Hong Kong |
| Ownership | About 88% of Bloomberg LP | Largest shareholder in Xiaomi |
| University | Johns Hopkins University | Wuhan University |
| Public roles | Mayor of New York City, 2002 to 2013 | Deputy to China’s National People’s Congress since 2013 |
| Net worth (2026 estimates) | About $95 billion to $109 billion | About $17 billion to $24 billion |
The table shows one clear pattern. Bloomberg built a premium service for professionals. Lei Jun built a mass-market brand for everyday buyers. Both ideas worked, but they work in opposite ways.
Is There a Connection Between Michael Bloomberg and Lei Jun?
There is no known family tie between the two. They share no company, no partnership, and no joint investment that has been reported. The link people search for is mostly a matter of business news and rankings.
Still, a few real threads connect them:
- Both are self-made founders who turned technology into a large fortune.
- Both give large gifts to the universities where they studied.
- Bloomberg News covers Xiaomi and Lei Jun like any other major company and billionaire.
- Investors can follow Xiaomi stock, listed in Hong Kong under the code 1810, on a Bloomberg Terminal.
That last point is a neat irony. The product Michael Bloomberg built is the same kind of tool that professionals use to watch Lei Jun’s company. So the two men meet in the market, even if they never meet in a boardroom.
How Michael Bloomberg Built His Business
Bloomberg grew up near Boston. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1964 and later earned an MBA at Harvard. He then spent years at Salomon Brothers, a Wall Street investment bank, where he rose to partner.
His career there ended in 1981 when he was pushed out. He left with a payout of about 10 million dollars. Many people would have taken a long break. Bloomberg used the money to start a new company.
That company was first called Innovative Market Solutions. He launched it with partners Thomas Secunda, Duncan MacMillan, and Charles Zegar. Later it became Bloomberg LP.
The idea was simple and sharp. Traders needed prices, analysis, and tools in one place, and they needed them fast. Bloomberg built a computer terminal that delivered all of it. Large banks signed up, and the Bloomberg Terminal became a fixture on trading floors around the world.
The company then grew well beyond the terminal. It added a news service, television, radio, and a magazine. Bloomberg led the firm until 2001, stepped away to serve as mayor from 2002 to 2013, and came back to lead it again from 2014 to 2023. Forbes lists the company’s revenue at about 13.3 billion dollars as of August 2026.
A few milestones tell the story:
- 1964: Graduates from Johns Hopkins University.
- 1981: Leaves Salomon Brothers and founds his own firm.
- 2002: Becomes mayor of New York City.
- 2014: Returns to run Bloomberg LP.
- Today: Owns most of the company and has pledged to give his wealth away over time.
How Lei Jun Built Xiaomi
Lei Jun was born in Hubei province in 1969. He studied computer science at Wuhan University and graduated in 1991. In 1992 he joined Kingsoft, a Chinese software company, and worked his way up inside it.
His next move was online retail. In 2000 he founded Joyo.com, an e-commerce site. Amazon bought it in 2004 for 75 million dollars. That sale gave him capital and a deeper feel for how people shop online.
He also became a sharp early investor. In 2005 he put 1 million dollars into YY. When the company went public in 2012, his shares were worth about 129 million dollars. That return is the kind of story investors love to repeat.
In 2010 he co-founded Xiaomi. The plan was bold. Sell phones with strong specs at fair prices, sell them mostly online, and build a loyal fan community. The plan worked, and Xiaomi grew into one of the largest smartphone makers in the world. It listed in Hong Kong in 2018.
Xiaomi then moved far past phones. Its range now includes smart home products, wearables, TVs, laptops, and electric vehicles. Lei Jun announced the move into cars in March 2021. The first model, the SU7, launched in Beijing on 28 March 2024.
Key steps in his journey:
- 1991: Finishes his degree at Wuhan University.
- 1992: Joins Kingsoft.
- 2004: Sells Joyo.com to Amazon.
- 2010: Co-founds Xiaomi.
- 2018: Xiaomi goes public in Hong Kong.
- 2024: Xiaomi launches the SU7 electric car.
Their Biggest Business Difference: What Customers Buy
This is where the two companies split most. Bloomberg sells information to professionals. Xiaomi sells physical products to ordinary people. Everything else follows from that choice.
A Bloomberg Terminal is a subscription. Estimates often place it near 30,000 dollars per user each year. Customers pay because better data can mean better trades. The money arrives on a steady schedule, and few competitors can match the product.
Xiaomi works the other way. It makes devices and sells them in huge numbers at modest prices. The company has said publicly that it wants to keep hardware profit margins low. Its income also comes from internet services and, more recently, from cars.
| Factor | Bloomberg LP | Xiaomi |
|---|---|---|
| Typical customer | Banks, funds, traders, newsrooms | Everyday consumers |
| Main product | Data, analytics, news | Phones, smart devices, cars |
| Revenue model | Subscriptions | Product sales plus services |
| Price level | Premium | Value focused |
| Profit margin style | High on software and data | Thin on hardware |
| Ownership | Private | Public |
| Main risk | Rival data platforms | Price wars and supply costs |
Think of it with a simple example. A trader in London pays for a terminal because speed pays her back. A student in Karachi buys a Xiaomi phone because it offers good value for the price. Both buyers are happy, but they are not the same buyer.
The ownership gap matters too. Bloomberg LP is private, so Bloomberg answers to no stock market. Xiaomi is public, so its share price and quarterly results shape its decisions. Lei Jun holds extra voting power through its share structure, but he still works in a public spotlight.
Who Is Richer, Michael Bloomberg or Lei Jun?
Michael Bloomberg is far richer. Forbes put his fortune at about 94.9 billion dollars in September 2026. Earlier in the year, in January, it estimated about 109.4 billion dollars. Lei Jun’s estimates in 2026 land much lower, between roughly 17 billion and 24 billion dollars.
| Person | Estimate | Date and source |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Bloomberg | About $109.4 billion | January 2026, Forbes |
| Michael Bloomberg | About $94.9 billion | September 2026, Forbes |
| Lei Jun | About $17.6 billion | 30 June 2026, MarketScreener |
| Lei Jun | About $21.6 billion | October 2026, Wikipedia estimate |
On these figures, Bloomberg is worth roughly four to six times more. The exact ratio depends on which date and source you pick. The direction never changes, though.
Why do the numbers jump around so much? Public and private companies are valued in different ways. Xiaomi trades on a stock exchange, so its price moves every day. Forbes had Lei Jun at about 42.6 billion dollars in May 2025, which ranked him 33rd in the world. The 2026 figures are much lower, which shows how fast a tech fortune can swing.
Bloomberg LP is private. Analysts value it using revenue, profit, and comparable companies. That method gives a steadier picture, but it is still an estimate.
Giving also changes the math. Lei Jun moved about 2.2 billion dollars of Xiaomi shares to charity in 2021. Bloomberg has given away billions over the years and has pledged to direct his Bloomberg LP stake to Bloomberg Philanthropies. Both men are shrinking their own piles by choice.
A Shared Commitment to Their Universities
This is the warmest point of overlap. Both men give heavily to the schools that shaped them. Neither treats the gift as a one-time gesture.
Bloomberg has backed Johns Hopkins for decades. In 2018 he gave 1.8 billion dollars for financial aid, aimed at students from low and middle income families. By then his lifetime giving to the school had reached 3.3 billion dollars. In 2024 he announced a further 1 billion dollar gift to help medical students.
Lei Jun’s giving started small and grew. His first gift to Wuhan University came in 1997 and was worth 140,000 yuan. In November 2023, on the school’s 130th anniversary, he gave 1.3 billion yuan, about 183 million dollars. It was the largest individual donation ever made to a Chinese university.
Lei Jun explained his reason in a personal way. He said he wanted to repay a 2,000 yuan scholarship he received as a student. He also noted that he once studied in a building paid for by another donor.
| Point | Michael Bloomberg | Lei Jun |
|---|---|---|
| University | Johns Hopkins University | Wuhan University |
| Best known gift | $1.8 billion, 2018 | 1.3 billion yuan, 2023 |
| Focus of the money | Student aid, later medical education | Computer science and six core subjects |
| Wider giving | Bloomberg Philanthropies | Share donations to charity foundations |
The lesson is easy to see. Both men treat education as the base of their own success. Their gifts aim to open the same door for the next group of students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Michael Bloomberg and Lei Jun related?
No. They are not related by family, and no shared business has been reported. They simply appear together because both are famous tech founders and billionaires.
Who has the higher net worth?
Michael Bloomberg does. Forbes estimates put him near 95 to 109 billion dollars in 2026, while Lei Jun is estimated at roughly 17 to 24 billion dollars.
Does Lei Jun own all of Xiaomi?
No. Xiaomi is a public company, so many investors own shares. Lei Jun is the largest shareholder, and recent reports put his stake, including his foundation, at about 23 percent.
When did Xiaomi launch its first electric car?
Xiaomi launched its first electric car, the SU7, on 28 March 2024 in Beijing. It first showed the car in December 2023.
Why is Michael Bloomberg excluded from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index?
Bloomberg News has an editorial policy of not covering Bloomberg LP. Because Michael Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner, he is left off the ranking.
What does Bloomberg LP sell?
Bloomberg LP sells financial data, analytics, and news. Its best-known product is the Bloomberg Terminal, used by traders and banks.
Which university did Lei Jun attend?
Lei Jun studied computer science at Wuhan University in China and graduated in 1991. He later made record gifts to the school.
Two Distinct Paths Through Technology
Michael Bloomberg and Lei Jun reached the billionaire club by different roads. Bloomberg sold expensive, high-value information to a small group of professionals. Lei Jun sold affordable gadgets to a very large group of consumers. One model brings steady subscription income and a huge fortune. The other brings massive scale and a more volatile share price.
Yet the two stories rhyme. Both men started with a strong idea, built a team, and kept expanding into new areas. Both also returned a large share of their wealth to education. If you compare them, you learn that there is no single formula for business success. There is only a clear customer, a useful product, and the patience to keep building. Remember that all net worth figures here are estimates and will keep moving.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Lei Jun: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lei_Jun
- MarketScreener, Jun Lei profile: https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/JUN-LEI-A01Y9E/
- Secret NYC, Forbes 2026 richest person in every state: https://secretnyc.co/?p=408723
- Techleap, Bloomberg net worth over five years (Forbes, January 2026): https://finder.techleap.nl/news/feed/bloomberg-s-net-worth-more-than-doubles-to-109b-in-five-years
- TipRanks, Michael Bloomberg net worth and Bloomberg LP stake: https://www.tipranks.com/news/michael-bloombergs-net-worth-the-journey-of-the-financial-titan
- Yicai Global, Lei Jun donation to Wuhan University: https://yicaiglobal.com/news/xiaomis-founder-lei-jun-donates-record-usd184-million-to-alma-mater-wuhan-university
- Sixth Tone, Lei Jun donation to Wuhan University: https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1014193/Xiaomi CEO Makes Largest Ever Single Donation to Leading Chinese University
- The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Bloomberg gift to Johns Hopkins: https://www.philanthropy.com/article/michael-bloomberg-promises-1-8-billion-to-johns-hopkins-u/
- CNBC, Xiaomi SU7 launch date: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/12/xiaomi-is-set-to-launch-its-su7-electric-car-on-march-28.html
- Wikipedia, Xiaomi SU7: https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaomi_SU7
- Business Insider, Bloomberg and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index: https://businessinsider.nl/michael-bloomberg-is-worth-an-estimated-106-billion-but-you-wont-find-him-on-the-bloomberg-rich-list/
- Caproasia, Lei Jun shareholding and donations: https://www.caproasia.com/?p=62395
