Changpeng Zhao (CZ) is the founder of Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Born in Jiangsu, China, in 1977, he later moved to Canada with his family. CZ studied computer science at McGill University and initially worked in high-frequency trading and financial software development.
His journey in crypto began in 2013 when he joined Blockchain.info as the head of development and later worked at OKCoin as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In 2017, he founded Binance, raising $15 million through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). Binance quickly became the largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, thanks to its user-friendly interface, low fees, and rapid expansion.
Under CZ’s leadership, Binance expanded beyond trading, launching services like Binance Smart Chain (BSC), Binance Coin (BNB), and a decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. However, Binance also faced regulatory scrutiny worldwide, with authorities in the U.S., UK, Japan, and other countries questioning its compliance with financial laws.
In November 2023, CZ stepped down as CEO after reaching a $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities over allegations of anti-money laundering violations. As part of the agreement, CZ pleaded guilty to failing to implement proper compliance measures and was sentenced to prison. Richard Teng, the former head of Binance’s regional markets, took over as CEO.
Despite these challenges, Binance remains a dominant force in crypto, and CZ is still considered a pioneer in the blockchain industry. His influence in the sector continues, even after stepping down from Binance’s leadership.
