Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as CZ, is the CEO of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Binance became the biggest crypto trading platform globally in just a few months. A fan of black outfits, CZ quickly became a crypto billionaire, leaving a significant mark on the blockchain world.
Here are six surprising facts about the man behind Binance.
1. CZ Became Famous in Less Than Three Months
Binance was founded on July 1, 2017, and within just six months, it became the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Binance’s ICO for Binance Coin (BNB) started at around 11 cents and is now valued at over $14. In January last year, BNB was valued at $24.
2. CZ Worked in Other Trading Systems Before Binance
Before launching Binance, CZ had a rich background in trading systems. In 2005, he founded Fusion Systems in Shanghai, which provided platforms for brokers. His crypto journey began in 2013 with blockchain.info, and in 2014, he sold his apartment in Shanghai for $1 million, investing the entire amount into Bitcoin.
3. CZ Loves Binance, and It Shows in His Wardrobe
It’s no surprise that CZ is passionate about Binance—it’s his creation. But what’s interesting is that despite his disinterest in owning luxury cars or houses, CZ is almost always seen wearing Binance hoodies and T-shirts. He doesn’t own a house or a car, but he clearly prefers black clothing, much like Steve Jobs.
4. The Famous Lambo Giveaway
CZ seems to enjoy unique marketing tactics, and one of the most famous was the Lamborghini giveaway held by Binance. Although CZ personally isn’t interested in cars, the campaign attracted a lot of attention from the brand. This creative idea likely came from Binance’s marketing team.
5. CZ Worked at McDonald’s
CZ was born in Jiangsu, a coastal city in China, and his family later moved to Canada. During his youth, CZ worked at McDonald’s to help support his family, flipping burgers in the late 1980s. He later attended McGill University, where he studied computer science, eventually leading him to a finance and trading career.
6. CZ No Longer Needs to Worry About Money
CZ’s journey is remarkable from working at gas stations and McDonald’s to now running a billion-dollar empire. Binance reportedly made $1 billion in profits in 2018 alone. Even though major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple saw price drops last year, Binance continued to thrive, making CZ one of the most prominent figures in crypto.
With Binance processing 1.4 million transactions per second, CZ’s success in the crypto world is nothing short of extraordinary.