——“I am lucky to be able to stop, but my legend will forever exist in the world”
Four months in prison gave CZ a chance to reevaluate his life. He candidly stated, “The first month was indeed tough, after all, Binance is like my child.” However, he soon discovered the unexpected benefit of “retirement” — time. For the past seven years, he had been buried in the struggles of the exchange, missing out on the details of new waves like AI and DeFi. Now, he can finally step out of Binance's daily operations and direct his energy toward broader fields: “The world is changing too fast; a CEO's tenure should not exceed ten years, otherwise, thinking becomes rigid.”
Some worry that the departure of this soul figure of Binance will lead to the empire's collapse. But data shows that Binance's trading volume remains at the top, and the new CEO Richard Teng's compliance experience, along with co-founder He Yi's community operations, have helped Binance find a new rhythm amidst regulatory challenges. CZ is very calm about this: “The team is doing great, and there’s no need for me to go back. Even if given the chance, I don’t want to — letting go is the true trust in my ‘child’.”
The current CZ resembles more of a “crypto evangelist.” He has two new battlefields:
Giggle Academy: A free gamified education platform, lacking traditional degrees, replaced instead with NFT certificates and on-chain skill certifications. He said, “Teaching a person to fish is better than giving them a fish; education is the lever that will propel the future of crypto.”
Three major investment tracks: blockchain, AI, and biotechnology. He even personally delves into the underlying logic of “AI + blockchain”: “AI data labeling is best paid for with cryptocurrency, global low-cost labor + instant settlement — that is the power of decentralization.”
Choosing to retire gracefully requires more wisdom than stubbornly holding onto the throne. He joked, “If I were to resign voluntarily, others would think I couldn’t hold on anymore. But being forced to leave, no one complains.” True control lies not in the position, but in the influence. Although he is prohibited from participating in Binance's operations, he remains the largest shareholder (holding 90%) and stated, “If the team strays off course, I can change people at any time.” Crypto is no longer just about trading speculation; it is a tool that permeates the real world. Those who lay down the crown can still rewrite the rules.
