Changpeng Zhao person
Overview
Changpeng Zhao (known as CZ) is a Chinese-born Canadian entrepreneur and the founder of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. He resigned as Binance CEO in November 2023 after pleading guilty to U.S. anti-money-laundering charges, served a four-month prison sentence in 2024, and was pardoned by President Trump in October 2025. He previously worked at Blockchain.com and co-founded Fusion Systems.
Within the DeFi Intel graph, Changpeng Zhao connects to 3 tracked entities, most strongly to Binance.
Relations
Top connections in the DeFi Intel knowledge graph (confidence-weighted, 3 of 3 total).
| Relation | Connected entity | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
founded | Binance | 95% |
resigned-from | Binance | 95% |
pleaded_guilty_to | DOJ | 95% |
Frequently asked questions
What is Changpeng Zhao?
Changpeng Zhao, commonly referred to as CZ, is the founder and former CEO of Binance, a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform.
Why is Changpeng Zhao significant in the crypto industry?
CZ is significant for founding Binance, which grew to become the largest cryptocurrency exchange globally, and for his influence on crypto regulation and industry development.
Did Changpeng Zhao step down as Binance CEO?
Yes, CZ resigned as CEO of Binance in November 2023 as part of a settlement with U.S. authorities over anti-money-laundering violations, and he was succeeded by Richard Teng. He served a four-month prison sentence in 2024 and was pardoned by President Trump in October 2025.
What is Changpeng Zhao connected to?
In the DeFi Intel knowledge graph, Changpeng Zhao is linked to 3 other tracked entities, most strongly to Binance.
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