As of Monday his net worth was $2.7 billion, according to U.S. magazine Forbes, as his company’s stock, HPG, has been rising to new highs.
On Friday, it closed at VND54,600 ($2.36).
Thao has a net worth of $2.6 billion, and was the country's second richest behind Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of conglomerate Vingroup, who has a net worth of $9.7 billion.
Long, who entered the Forbes list of world’s richest people for the first time in 2018, is one of the largest shareholders in his company with over 700 million shares, equivalent to a more than 25 percent stake.
Hoa Phat is now the biggest steel maker in Vietnam, making pipes and construction steel, besides making office equipment.