In a February 2026 interview, Binance founder CZ explained that he left OKCoin in early 2015 due to cultural differences after only a few months. Following the 2014 Mt. Gox collapse, CZ collaborated with former colleagues to start a Bitcoin exchange in Tokyo aiming to fill the market gap. He operated as CEO, took no salary, and used his personal savings to support the team, laying the groundwork for Binance's creation.
