Changpeng Zhao

{ "bio": [ "Changpeng Zhao, who goes by CZ, is the founder and former CEO of Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world.", "The Chinese-Canadian coder cut his teeth building high-frequency trading systems for Wall Street's flash boys.", "Zhao founded Binance in 2017 and still owns an estimated 90% of the exchange plus a stash of its BNB tokens.", "In November 2023, Zhao stepped down as Binance's CEO as part of a sweeping settlement with U.S. authorities.", "Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program, paid a $50 million fine and served four months in prison." ], "about": [ "Zhao was born in Jiangsu, China. His father, a professor, was labeled a pro-bourgeois intellect and temporarily exiled shortly after CZ was born.", "As a teenager in Vancouver, CZ pitched in to cover the household expenses, flipping burgers at McDonald's and working overnight shifts at a gas station." ] }