CEO, Binance
Search every verified Changpeng Zhao interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, has been discussing his views on the integration of cryptocurrency with traditional finance and artificial intelligence. In a July 2026 interview, he stated that crypto and blockchain are a technology that should merge with the existing financial system, not exist as a separate industry. He predicted that AI will soon handle payments for users and will require "technology native money" like crypto. Zhao also said that many people view crypto as a speculative investment asset rather than a fundamental technology, which he described as a common misconception. He reflected that he would advise his younger self to spend more time learning about legal compliance and politics, noting that he "misjudged the importance of the legal aspects" of running a business. Zhao has also been active in philanthropic and educational efforts following his release from prison. He has donated $2 million to Prison Professors, an organization that provides free education to incarcerated individuals, and has supported the use of Binance Academy content in prisons. Zhao said that many people in prison are "probably not supposed to be there" or are incarcerated for "way too long," and emphasized the importance of financial literacy and training in blockchain and AI for inmates. He is also working on a free education platform called Giga Academy, which he said has grown from 100,000 to 500,000 registered children in six months, and he advises governments on crypto regulatory policies.
“I would tell my younger self to say, look, spend more time on learn about legal compliance aspects. I and also learn about politics. Before like now, 2017, I was just a tech guy. Right, I was focused on building a better product. And protect the users, but I think I miss misjudged the importance of the legal aspects of...”
“I think most people today, well, many people today view crypto as a investment asset. Um, they don't view it as a fundamental technology. People buy Bitcoin and they they talk about when do you want to exit, right? They don't they don't view like, you know, you don't you don't exit the internet. You don't exit AI, per...”
“Crypto is not its own industry. Just as like internet should not be its own industry. It's a technology. Crypto should not should be just a technology that that enhances financial financial tools, financial applications. So exist shouldn't be a tradify versus crypto kind of division.”
“Stable coin is really a new form of fiat money. 10 years ago when stable coin was start starting, I didn't understand it. Again, I thought like this thing couldn't work. Like who would use a stable coin? But it did find a intermediary between fiat currency and crypto and blockchain, right?”
“I think many people who are in prison are probably not supposed to be there to begin with. Um many people who are there are there for way too long. Um and to be honest, many people that are supposed to be in prison are not.”
“It is very important to learn about financial literacy, right? So, if you don't understand money, if you don't if you don't understand the technologies powering money, then it's going to be very difficult for you to manage money even if you have a job. Right? So, how do you how do you protect yourself against inflation...”
“I don't try to go to people who are against crypto or anti-crypto or skeptical about crypto and try to convince them. I go to people who are willing to learn about crypto, who wants to learn, and I go interact with them.”
“My the book the title of my book is Freedom of Money, right? So, we want to increase the freedom of money of all people all around the world. To do that, you have to have freedom of speech. Right? So, and to have freedom of speech, you have to have freedom of from slavery first. You have to have physical freedom first....”
“If Elon doesn't do what he does, we're we're in a very different climate today. Very different climate today. People forget how quickly it was just a few years ago. The president of the United States was suspended from all social media. That's crazy. How the hell like the when history books write about this, you know,...”
“SPF is one of the greatest fraudsters in history. He is a master manipulator when it comes down to media and key opinion leaders. SPF perpetuated a narrative painting me and other people as bad guys. It was critical in maintaining the fantasy that he was a hero.”
“FTX killed themselves because they stole billions of dollars of user funds. Period. Lying is never good intentions.”
“We said we are going to sell our FTT tokens and this is the place where we got them and people can track it on the blockchain. I said we are going to sell them over many months, right? We are going to sell them slowly not to have market impact.”
“During the Biden administration, it was one of the worst places to live in. I think I basically just tried to stay as far away from us as possible during that time. They were very hostile on crypto. They were very hostile on our industry. So it was not possible to run a crypto business in America before.”
“High taxes doesn't work that well. When you impose high taxes or high transaction fees or just generally high cost for doing business, a business move away. You're taxing on a much smaller volume. You actually get less net tax.”
“Right now if you look at the wealth today, it's IP, it's technology, it's crypto. They have no borders. Even with like IT IP and technology there's some country limitations right so if you run a IT like let's say AI you're running in US or you're running in China you're still kind of confined to those countries whereas...”
How did Binance scale so fast—and what would CZ build if he started again today?* In this special Binance 9-year anniversary ...
The next crypto boom may not come from crypto. Brian Sozzi sits down with Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) to discuss why he believes AI, tokenization, and stablecoins could become the next major drivers of growth for the industry. The conversation also explores what prison taught him, why he doesn't want to run Binance again, and how his view of success has changed after one of the most difficult chapters of his life. Timestamps 00:00 State of crypto today 00:49 Why CZ stays bullish 01:52 What causes crypto winters 03:05 The next crypto catalyst 04:26 AI and crypto adoption 05:54 SpaceX…
In this insightful conversation, Michael Santos, founder of Prison Professors, sits down with Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the visionary ...
Changpeng Zhao says he treats heavyweights like Ray Dalio, Larry Fink, Eric Schmidt and Masa Son as mentors rather than peers, noting Dalio thinks in big debt and power cycles while Schmidt focuses on operating complex tech platforms and Fink on how mainstream capital adopts new assets. ------- ▶️ WATCH FULL EPISODE: • The $110 Billion Dollar Man - Binance Foun... 👞 GET THE NEW FLB 1'S: https://bit.ly/4mXV9gd 💬 TEXT PBD TO 310-340-1132 TO GET A COPY OF THE 2026 PBD PODCAST SURVEY! 🦁 THE VAULT 2026: AUG 31ST TO SEPT 1ST: https://bit.ly/4mZdLhD 🦁 SPONSOR THE VAULT 2026: https://bit.ly/4…
CZ describes his only one‑on‑one meal with Sam Bankman‑Fried while FTX was seeking Binance investment, saying SBF showed very high EQ and said all the right things about collaborating, regulation and growing the industry, yet Binance initially declined to invest before later taking a small stake. ------- ▶️ WATCH FULL EPISODE: • The $110 Billion Dollar Man - Binance Foun... 👞 GET THE NEW FLB 1'S: https://bit.ly/4mXV9gd 💬 TEXT PBD TO 310-340-1132 TO GET A COPY OF THE 2026 PBD PODCAST SURVEY! 🦁 THE VAULT 2026: AUG 31ST TO SEPT 1ST: https://bit.ly/4mZdLhD 🦁 SPONSOR THE VAULT 2026: https:…
CZ tells Patrick Bet‑David why he chose to base his life in the UAE, calling it “by far” the safest place he has lived and praising its near‑zero crime rates, smart leadership and missile‑defense readiness. He argues that in a world where wealth is increasingly in borderless intangibles like crypto and IP, pro‑business jurisdictions such as the UAE can attract mobile entrepreneurs and capital, while high‑tax regions risk driving founders and talent away. ------- ▶️ WATCH FULL EPISODE: • The $110 Billion Dollar Man - Binance Foun... 👞 GET THE NEW FLB 1'S: https://bit.ly/4mXV9gd 💬 TEXT P…
Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao joins Patrick Bet-David for a deep conversation on Bitcoin, AI, global power, and the future of crypto. CZ opens up about selling his home to go all-in on Bitcoin, building Binance into the world’s largest crypto exchange, and why he believes the UAE is becoming one of the world’s top hubs for business, innovation, and financial freedom. CZ breaks down the intense scrutiny Binance faced from the U.S. government, serving prison time after the DOJ case, and ultimately receiving a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. Along the way, he shares lessons on entre…
In this episode of FYI, Lorenzo Valente sits down with ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood and Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder of Binance, to examine his journey from early life in China to building the world’s largest crypto exchange. CZ shares how Binance scaled rapidly, the regulatory challenges it faced, and how the crypto industry has evolved over the past decade. The conversation also covers institutional adoption, stablecoins, AI’s role in accelerating innovation, and CZ’s outlook on Bitcoin, exchanges, and the future of global finance. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00:00 CZ’s early life, foun…
In this conversation with Economy Middle East, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Founder of Binance, highlights what sets the UAE apart as a global hub for emerging technologies. CZ points to the country’s early, forward-looking leadership, noting that the UAE adopted a pro-crypto stance well ahead of global trends, reinforcing its long-term vision for innovation. He adds that the UAE is positioned to lead across multiple industries, including crypto, AI, and fintech, underpinned by a stable and secure environment. The country’s strong safety standards, both physical and regulatory, further strengthen i…
In this conversation with Crypto Middle East, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Founder of Binance and Giggle Academy, shares his perspective on the UAE’s rapid rise as a global hub for crypto, fintech, and innovation. Reflecting on his journey across major financial markets, CZ highlights what sets the UAE apart, from its forward-thinking leadership to its carefully balanced regulatory approach that supports both innovation and user protection. He points to the country’s ability to create a secure, well-regulated environment without slowing technological progress, positioning it as a leading destinatio…
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