In the gray area of Crypto Assets

In the late 1980s, 12-year-old Zhao Changpeng moved to Vancouver with his father, starting his overseas career. In 1995, he entered McGill University to study biology and computer science. Two years later, at the age of 20, Zhao Changpeng interned at the Tokyo Stock Exchange and then dropped out like Bill Gates to focus on programming.

In 2001, Zhao Changpeng joined Bloomberg to develop trading software. Four years later, at the age of 28, he resigned and returned to Shanghai to start his own business, establishing Fusion Systems to provide SaaS system services for high-frequency trading. This experience laid the foundation for him to later found Binance.

In 2013, Zhao Changpeng came into contact with Bitcoin and subsequently entered the blockchain industry. In 2014, he joined a trading platform as the technical head. In 2015, Zhao Changpeng left to found Bijie Technology, providing "white label" systems for exchanges.

In June 2017, Binance was officially established. With the joining of He Yi, Binance quickly rose to prominence, becoming the world's largest Crypto Assets exchange in just 165 days. In 2018, Zhao Changpeng's net worth reached 2 billion USD, placing him on the Forbes Crypto Assets Billionaires list.

In 2022, after a leading exchange collapsed, Binance became the industry leader. However, in March 2023, Zhao Changpeng was sued for anti-money laundering issues, ultimately resigning as CEO and paying a hefty fine.

In April 2024, 47-year-old Zhao Changpeng restarted his journey in Dubai after being released from prison. He announced a focus on the education platform Giggle, providing services for the K12 population in impoverished areas worldwide, while continuing to invest in the fields of blockchain, biotechnology, and AI.

Zhao Changpeng revealed that 98% of his assets are in BNB and stated that he will revitalize the BNB ecosystem through the BNB Chain and YZi platforms. He also invested in the AI company Vana and serves as an advisor, researching longevity technology alongside the founder of Ethereum.

As the founder of Binance, Zhao Changpeng has driven the rapid development of the Crypto Assets industry. However, with success, he has gradually distanced himself from the ordinary user base. In the future, the arrival of a new cycle may level the playing field for old money, which is also the charm of the Web3 industry.