Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, founder and former CEO of Binance, made his first public appearance since his recent release from prison, during Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai.
THE event drew a standing-room-only crowd eager to hear from CZ, who served four months in a U.S. prison after pleading guilty to anti-money laundering violations under the Bank Secrecy Act. In his speech, Zhao expressed optimism about the future of crypto regulation globally, noting that sentiment around digital assets appears to be changing, especially against the backdrop of the upcoming US presidential election.
A frank CZ
CZ spoke candidly about his time in prison, reflecting on the lack of freedom and personal toll, particularly being away from family and colleagues. Despite the challenges, Zhao acknowledged the unique nature of his case, comparing it to recent corporate settlements involving similar charges but without individual prison time. As he spoke, he wryly noted the timing of his conviction, particularly with prominent US political figures – Republican Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris – now publicly addressing cryptocurrency issues during the election campaign.
Source: Binance
Laughter Academy
During her time on stage, Zhao introduced her new company, Giggle Academy, an education-focused platform aimed at reaching underserved communities, particularly adult women and children who lack access to education. base. He shared some sobering statistics: around 700 to 800 million adults worldwide are illiterate, two-thirds of whom are women, alongside 300 to 500 million children who do not go to school. . The Giggle Academy, which he announced last year, is Zhao’s attempt to fill these education gaps in areas underserved by traditional schooling.
Source: Laughter Academy
When asked about his future plans, Zhao mentioned his continued interest in investments beyond crypto, particularly in AI, biotechnology, and blockchain technologies. His successor, Binance CEO Richard Teng, emphasized “momentum” as a guiding theme for the year ahead, citing the potential approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States as an important milestone for the industry. The conference reportedly hosted around 4,000 attendees, with over a million viewers tuning in to the live streams, signaling strong interest in the evolving crypto landscape and, of course, the popularity of CZ itself.
CZ jacked
CZ clearly used his time in prison well, doing the classic prison solo activity: push-ups. In fact, CZ looks noticeably fitter, even muscular, and says he can do 300 push-ups. Impressive!
Source: C.Z.
