AI surge propels two Chinese-born tech founders to $14B wealth gain

By Trong Dat   February 22, 2026 | 01:26 am PT Google Get VnExpress first in Google Search info See more of the news you trust. Make VnExpress a preferred source to prioritise our updates in your Google search results
David Sun and John Tu, co-founders of U.S.-based memory giant Kingston Technology, have seen their fortunes swell amid the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence.

The two entrepreneurs have added nearly US$14 billion combined to their wealth since January, marking a 44% increase, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Each is now estimated to have a net worth of around $45 billion, placing them 45th and 46th globally — ahead of prominent figures such as Hong Kong property magnate Li Ka-shing and Midea co-founder He Xiangjian.

Hai nhà sáng lập John Tu  (trái) và David Sun (phải) của Kingston. Ảnh: Kingston Technology

Kingston's two founders, John Tu (left) and David Sun (right). Photo courtesy of Kingston Technology

AI hyperscalers are aggressively securing memory chips to expand data-center capacity, contributing to a sharp global supply crunch that has sent prices soaring, Business Insider reported.

This emerging "memory supercycle" is expected to lift revenues and margins for memory-product manufacturers, helping drive strong investor sentiment and pushing sector valuations higher in recent months.

Sun and Tu were born in Taiwan and mainland China, respectively.

They studied electrical engineering in college, and emigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s.

They met in Los Angeles, where they bonded over basketball and went into business together.

Kingston Technology designs and distributes memory and data storage hardware for personal computers and data centers, and is widely regarded as one of the world’s largest independent suppliers of DRAM modules and solid-state drives (SSDs).

The company ranked 27th on Forbes’ list of the largest privately held firms in the U.S. With 3,000 employees, Kingston generated about $14.4 billion in revenue last year.

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