Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, is the founder and former CEO of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. A Chinese-Canadian software developer, Zhao began his career building high-frequency trading systems for Wall Street firms.
In 2017, he launched Binance, quickly growing it into a global crypto powerhouse. Zhao still reportedly owns about 90% of the company, along with a substantial holding of its native BNB tokens.
In November 2023, Zhao stepped down as CEO as part of a major settlement with U.S. authorities. He pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti–money laundering program, paid a $50 million fine, and served a four-month prison sentence.
Born in Jiangsu, China, Zhao’s father, a university professor, was labeled a “pro-bourgeois intellect” and temporarily exiled soon after Zhao’s birth. During his teenage years in Vancouver, Zhao helped support his family by flipping burgers at McDonald’s and working overnight shifts at a gas station.
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