#1. Paul Phua – Malaysia ($29.9 Million+)
Paul Phua is a Malaysian businessman and high-stakes poker player who has won nearly $30 million in live tournaments. Seven of his tournament scores saw him leave with over a million dollars in prize money and his largest was over $3,000,000.
Phua co-founded the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series and helped establish Wynn Macau, all while making his way to the 24th spot on the All Time Money List. Phua started playing poker in his 40s, learning from top pros in Macau like Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan. His major wins include £2.5 million (about $3.1 million) at the 2019 Triton London £100K event and $1.6 million at the 2012 Aspers 100K High Roller.
Phua also launched a poker training site featuring tips from Ivey, Dwan, and other stars. Despite having a later start in poker than almost all of his opponents, Paul's status is solidified.
What a day. I did it 😆😆 pic.twitter.com/LeQpQhPUE1
— Paul Phua Poker (@paulphuapoker) November 9, 2022
#2. John Juanda – Indonesia ($25.7 Million+)
John Juanda is an Indonesian-American poker pro who has won over $25 million in tournaments and even made it into the Poker Hall of Fame.
Juanda moved to the U.S. in 1990 to attend college, earning an MBA before turning to poker full-time in 1996. His earnings make him the 29th-highest earner of all time, with his largest win of $2.8 million coming in 2017 at the Triton Macau Main Event. He also has 5 WSOP bracelets, including the 2008 WSOPE Main Event for $1.5 million. Juanda's other major wins include the 2006 Crown Australian Poker Championship for $732,901 and 2nd at the 2010 EPT London for £545,000.
Known for his consistency, Juanda was named Card Player Magazine's Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002.
Way back in the early days of online poker, Paul co-founded Full Tilt Poker and was sponsored by them until 2011. Juanda moved to the U.S. in 1990 to attend college, earning an MBA before turning to poker full-time in 1996.
Just luck boxed myself into another Triton tittle! Special thx to @junglemandan , Timofey Kuznetsov & Furkat Rakhimov for their coaching!👍😂💪🎉🍾🎊🙏 pic.twitter.com/9oOUAXDjgx
— John Juanda (@LuckBoxJuanda) May 15, 2019
#3. Daniel Chi Tang – Hong Kong ($25.3 Million+)
Daniel Chi Tang, who also goes by Danny, is a highly respected poker pro from Hong Kong with over $23 million in live tournament earnings. According to his Hendon Mob, Daniel is now 33rd on the All Time Money List.
Tang's biggest score came in May 2019 when he finished 2nd in the HK$1,000,000 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Main Event in Montenegro for $1.8 million. In 2019, he also won his first WSOP bracelet in the $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller for $1.6 million, becoming only the second player from Hong Kong to achieve this feat.
As a Natural8 ambassador, Tang was dominant in the high roller scene in 2023, securing four titles on the Triton Series including back-to-back wins in Cyprus.
As Daniel says, "I want to go down in the history books. I just want to be remembered."
#4. Elton Tsang – Hong Kong ($24.1 Million+)
Elton Tsang is a poker player and businessman based in Hong Kong. Considered one of the top Asian players, Tsang made history by winning the €1,000,000 Big One for One Drop in 2016 for €11,111,111 ($12.2 million), the third-largest single tournament payout ever. This is also about half of his entire live tournament earnings and easily one of the largest prizes in poker. Not bad for someone who used to call themselves the "tournament fish."
At the time we write this, Elton is 34th on the World All Time Money List.
Elton says that winning the One Drop made his family understand his accomplishments. "When I tell them about playing cash games, they don’t know what’s going on. Being on the news is different."
He also helped organize the first major poker tournament in Macau. With over $24 million in live earnings, Tsang is a regular in the biggest cash games, playing pots worth millions against elite pros who regularly attend high-roller events, especially Triton. In March 2024, he secured his first Triton Poker title and $4.21 million in the $150,000 event in Jeju, South Korea.
Outside of poker, Tsang is an entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Elton Tsang: “I can still hit the rebuy button right?” 😂 pic.twitter.com/hGQG7OJbdc
— Triton Poker (@tritonpoker) August 5, 2023
#5. Aaron Shu Nu Zang – China ($21.8 Million+)
Aaron Zang started his poker journey with a small gift from his uncle. The $150 Aaron got that day got spun up to $63,000 in a single year and marked the beginning of a seriously impressive career. At the time we write this, Aaron is sitting at 41st on the World All Time Money List.
Zang started playing at university and turned pro in 2007.
Eventually becoming well-known as a Chinese high-stakes poker player from Macau, Zang is best known for winning the £1,050,000 buy-in Triton Million for Charity event in London in August 2019. He earned about $16,775,820 after a deal with Bryn Kenney.
Fellow top earner Paul Phua was there to congratulate him.
Congratulations to Zang Shu Nu Aaron for winning the Triton millions. You make China and Macau poker players proud. Also well done to Brynn Kenney for the runners up spot . 🙏🏿
— Paul Phua Poker (@paulphuapoker) August 3, 2019
From 2007 to 2018, Aaron cashed in eight live poker tournaments.
His biggest cash before the Triton Million was a fifth-place finish for HK$1,925,000 ($248,200) in a Macau Super High Roller. In London, Zang also placed third in a £250,000 Short Deck event for around $2,712,016, becoming China's all-time money leader.
At the moment, the next 5 top earning players from Asia are:
- #6. Richard Yong – Malaysia ($17 Million+)
- #7. Christopher Michael Soyza – Malaysia ($15.7 Million+)
- #8. Punnat Punsri – Thailand ($15.4 Million+)
- #9. Chin Wei Lim – Malaysia ($14.2 Million+)
- #10. Seng Yee Leow – Malaysia ($13.1 Million+)
