Zhang Ziyi Highest-Paid Actress in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Beijing
  • Last updated on

Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid actresses” released on Friday.
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It's been a rough year for the actress, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 47-year-old Zhang Ziyi has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid actresses for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 22/08/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Zhang Ziyi tops annual list of highest-paid actresses

In 2024 it looked like the actress’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Friday (August 21) that Ziyi is the highest-paid actress in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between July 2025 and July 2026, a nearly $20 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Chinese actress has an estimated net worth of $145 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Ziyi Burger” chain) in Beijing, a Football Team (the “Beijing Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderziyi - China), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Zhang) and a fashion line called “Zhang Ziyi Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Zhang fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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