Sold my apartment for $900,000 to buy Bitcoin at an average price of $600 in 2013—this was the bold gamble that defined the early career of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ. At the time, Zhao was so convinced by the potential of cryptocurrency after attending a small 200-person conference in Las Vegas that he quit his job and sold his Shanghai property to go "all in." Despite Bitcoin’s price climbing from $70 to $1,000 that year, Zhao felt he was late to the game, proving that the feeling of "missing out" has always been part of the crypto experience.
His journey hasn't been without significant turbulence. While his net worth has soared to approximately $52.2 billion, he recently served a four-month prison sentence in 2024 following a settlement with the U.S. government regarding anti-money laundering failures at Binance. Interestingly, he was eventually pardoned by Donald Trump in October 2025.
From selling his home to founding the world’s largest crypto exchange, CZ’s story remains one of the most extreme examples of high-stakes risk and reward in the digital age, highlighting a relentless belief in the future of decentralized finance even when facing legal adversity and financial uncertainty. He truly remains a polarizing yet pivotal figure in the global evolution of blockchain technology and wealth creation.
#CZAMAonBinanceSquare #USNFPBlowout #TrumpCanadaTariffsOverturned #USRetailSalesMissForecast