Here’s a comprehensive overview of Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ — the founder of Binance and one of the most influential figures in the cryptocurrency world:
🧑💼 Who is Changpeng Zhao (CZ)?
Changpeng Zhao (nicknamed CZ) is a Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur and software engineer best known for founding Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume. �
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📍 Early Life & Education
Born: 1977 in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China. �
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Family: His parents were educators; the family moved to Vancouver, Canada when he was a child. �
The Times of India
Education: Studied computer science at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. �
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💻 Career Before Binance
Tokyo Stock Exchange: After graduating, he interned at a subcontractor developing trade-matching software. �
The Times of India
Bloomberg Tradebook: Worked on futures trading systems. �
The Times of India
Entrepreneurship:
Founded Fusion Systems in 2005 — a firm building high-frequency trading platforms. �
The Times of India
Worked with Blockchain.info (now Blockchain.com) and served as CTO of OKCoin, both early crypto companies. �
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🚀 Founding Binance
Launched: July 2017 after raising $15 million via an ICO (initial coin offering). �
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Rapid Growth: Binance became the world’s largest crypto exchange in under a year by trading volume. �
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Binance Coin (BNB): A native token introduced alongside the exchange that has become a major cryptocurrency in its own right. �
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Under CZ’s leadership, Binance expanded rapidly into a full crypto ecosystem including tools for trading, education, blockchain development, and investment. �
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⚖️ Legal Challenges and Resignation
2023: CZ stepped down as Binance’s CEO as part of a settlement with U.S. authorities over alleged violations of anti-money laundering laws. Binance agreed to pay a $4.3 billion fine and CZ personally paid$BNB