On June 9, 2025, New Zealand’s National Business Review (NBR) released its latest annual Rich List. 34-year-old Chinese-born entrepreneur Lucy Liu (Liu Yueting) topped the list as the richest woman in New Zealand, with a net worth of NZ$700 million (approx. RMB 3.036 billion), ranking 30th overall. This marks the first time in New Zealand’s history that a Chinese woman has earned this title.
Lucy Liu is the co-founder of Airwallex, a cross-border payments company. Founded in 2015, the company is now valued at US$6.2 billion and is considered one of the fastest-growing fintech firms in the world.
Born in northern China, Liu attended primary school in Shanghai and immigrated to Auckland, New Zealand, at the age of 12. She later attended St Cuthbert’s College in Auckland, and then pursued a Master’s degree in Finance at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 2012.
Her father was a former stock trader and tech entrepreneur, while her mother worked in early childhood education. Growing up in this environment, Liu was exposed to finance and investment from a young age. At 18, she opened her first stock trading account and made her first successful investment.
In 2015, Liu co-founded Airwallex in Melbourne with three other Chinese entrepreneurs. The idea was sparked by a discussion about the financial losses of a local café due to cross-border payment issues. Realizing the high costs and inefficiencies small and medium businesses face with international transactions, they envisioned building a global payment solution platform.
At the time, Liu invested US$1 million in exchange for a 20% equity stake, making her one of the company’s earliest and largest investors. That investment eventually yielded a return of over 1,200 times. While the company initially faced multiple rejections from venture capital firms, it secured seed funding led by Gobi Partners, followed by major backers such as Sequoia China, MasterCard, and DST Global.
Airwallex now operates offices around the world and serves major business clients including Shein, Qantas Airways, and Afterpay. According to 2025 data, the company’s annualized revenue has reached US$720 million, processing over US$130 billion in transactions annually, with projected revenue expected to surpass US$1 billion this year.
In May 2025, Airwallex completed its Series F funding round, raising US$300 million from investors including Square Peg, Blackbird, DST Global, and Visa Ventures.
As the only woman among the founding team, Liu has taken on key roles in management, finance, HR, and branding. She also established an internal women’s network and continues to advocate for gender diversity and support for female entrepreneurs.
With Airwallex now expanding into New Zealand, Lucy Liu has become a prominent figure in the local startup and Chinese business communities. Her achievements symbolize the rising influence of Asian women in New Zealand’s economic landscape.
