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Founder, Binance
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Changpeng Zhao (born 10 September 1977), commonly known as "CZ", is a Chinese-Canadian business executive and the founder of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. A former developer for Bloomberg Tradebook, he launched Binance in 2017 and rapidly scaled it into a crypto behemoth. In November 2023, Zhao stepped down as CEO and pleaded guilty to money laundering violations in a settlement with the US Department of Justice, agreeing to pay a $50 million fine (while Binance paid $4.3 billion). Despite his legal troubles, he remains a central figure in the crypto world and one of its wealthiest individuals.
Built Binance into the world's largest crypto exchange in under 180 days
Pioneered the exchange token model (BNB)
Invested in Twitter alongside Elon Musk
Pleaded guilty to US money laundering charges in 2023
Binance faced bans and regulatory warnings in dozens of countries
Allegations of facilitating sanctions evasion and money laundering