Changpeng “CZ” Zhao is the founder and CEO of Binance, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, and is considered one of the most influential crypto personalities in the industry today. CZ's journey to success is a true rags-to-riches story that started in a village in Jiangsu, China, where he was born to Chinese teachers in 1977.
The family migrated to Vancouver, Canada, when CZ was 12 years old, and he had to start working to support his family. Despite the financial struggles, CZ was a bright student and got into McGill University in Montreal, Canada, to study computer science. After college, he landed an internship in Tokyo, where he developed matching software for trade orders for a subcontractor of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
CZ then worked for Bloomberg Tradebook, where he developed futures trading software and experienced rapid career growth, managing teams across the world. He left the company in 2005 to found his own venture, Fusion Systems, in Shanghai, China.
In 2013, CZ came across Bitcoin, which sparked his interest in the technology. He went all-in on the nascent digital currency in 2014, selling his house and buying BTC at an average price of $600 per coin. The price of Bitcoin fell soon after, crashing to $200, but CZ's belief in the technology helped him hodl through the bear market. After two years, the price jumped back up, and CZ's investment paid off.
CZ launched Binance in July 2017 at the peak of the initial coin offering era, and the exchange quickly became one of the leading global crypto exchanges in terms of daily trading volume. Within eight months, CZ became a billionaire and was running the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume.
CZ's journey from flipping burgers at McDonald's as a teenager to becoming the most powerful man in crypto is inspiring. His story is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and the willingness to take risks. CZ's success in the crypto industry also highlights the potential of blockchain technology to change the world, and he is an important figure in the blockchain and crypto community.
