Changpeng Zhao Net Worth

Changpeng Zhao Net Worth

Changpeng Zhao net worth – What is the net worth of Changpeng Zhao? Changpeng Zhao, widely known by his initials CZ, is a Chinese-Canadian business executive and the founder of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. With a net worth of $62.9 billion, he is the richest person in Canada and a titan of the digital asset industry. Despite facing significant legal challenges—including a four-month prison sentence in 2024 and stepping down as CEO—CZ remains a dominant figure in finance, recently pivoting to advise nations on blockchain adoption following a presidential pardon in late 2025.

What is Changpeng Zhao’s Net Worth?

As of 2026, Changpeng Zhao has an estimated net worth of US $62.9 billion. His wealth is derived almost entirely from his controlling equity stake in Binance, estimated to be around 90%, as well as his personal holdings of Bitcoin (BTC) and Binance Coin (BNB). His fortune has fluctuated wildly with the crypto markets, peaking at nearly $100 billion in 2021 before settling. He retains his massive wealth because, while he paid a $50 million personal fine to US authorities, he did not have to forfeit his ownership in Binance.

Net Worth Comparison with Other Tech & Crypto Billionaires

Billionaire Estimated Net Worth
Changpeng Zhao (CZ) $62.9 Billion
Elon Musk $342 Billion
Mark Zuckerberg $216 Billion
Jeff Yass $65 Billion
Brian Armstrong (Coinbase) $11 Billion
Satoshi Nakamoto (Est.) $70 Billion
Zhang Yiming $65.5 Billion

Changpeng Zhao Net Worth Growth Timeline

Year Net Worth
2018 $1.2 Billion
2020 $2.6 Billion
2021 $65.0 Billion
2023 $10.2 Billion
2024 $33.0 Billion
2026 **$62.9 Billion**

Who is Changpeng Zhao?

Changpeng Zhao is a computer scientist and serial entrepreneur born on September 10, 1977, in Jiangsu, China. He is best known for founding Binance in 2017 and growing it into a financial behemoth in less than 180 days. Known for his casual attire (often sporting Binance-branded hoodies) and his mantra “Funds are SAFU,” CZ revolutionized crypto trading with high speed and low fees. After navigating a high-profile legal battle with the US Department of Justice in 2023–2024, he has re-emerged as a global advisor on sovereign blockchain strategies.

Changpeng Zhao Biography

Field Details
Full Name Changpeng Zhao
Nickname CZ
Date of Birth September 10, 1977
Age 48 years
Birthplace Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China
Nationality Canadian, UAE
Profession Entrepreneur, Investor
Years Active 2001–present
Net Worth $62.9 billion
Source of Wealth Binance (Cryptocurrency Exchange)
Education McGill University (B.S. in Computer Science)
Marital Status Unmarried (Partner: Yi He)
Partners Yi He (Current), Yang Weiqing (Ex-wife)
Children 5
Parents Shengkai Zhao (Father)

Early Life and Education

CZ was born in rural China to parents who were both educators. His father, a university professor, was branded a “pro-bourgeois intellect” and exiled to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. In 1989, shortly after the Tiananmen Square protests, the family emigrated to Vancouver, Canada.

Life in Canada was a stark contrast to China. To support his family, a teenage CZ flipped burgers at McDonald’s and worked overnight shifts at a gas station. Despite the financial hardships, he excelled academically. He attended McGill University in Montreal, studying computer science. During his college years, he interned at a software company in Tokyo, which sparked his interest in financial trading systems.

Career

CZ’s career began on Wall Street. After college, he worked for Bloomberg Tradebook, where he designed software for matching trade orders. He was promoted three times in two years, managing teams in New Jersey, London, and Tokyo. In 2005, he quit his high-paying job to move to Shanghai and found Fusion Systems, known for building high-frequency trading platforms for brokers.

His entry into crypto is legendary. In 2013, during a poker game with Bobby Lee (CEO of BTCC), he was advised to put 10% of his net worth into Bitcoin. CZ went “all in,” selling his Shanghai apartment to buy Bitcoin—even as the price crashed shortly after. He worked at Blockchain.info and OKCoin before launching Binance in July 2017.

Binance exploded in popularity, becoming the world’s largest exchange within six months. CZ led the company through the “crypto winter” and massive global regulatory scrutiny. In November 2023, as part of a settlement with the US DOJ over anti-money laundering violations, he resigned as CEO and paid a fine. He served a four-month prison sentence in California in mid-2024. Following his release and a subsequent presidential pardon in late 2025, he launched Giggle Academy, a non-profit education platform, and began advising nations on tokenizing state assets.

Personal Life

CZ is known for being private but leads a somewhat nomadic lifestyle, eventually settling in Dubai, UAE. He has been in a long-term relationship with fellow Binance co-founder Yi He, with whom he has three children. He also has two children from a previous marriage to Yang Weiqing.

Despite his wealth, CZ famously owns no cars and no houses (preferring rentals and hotels to maintain liquidity and mobility). He has committed to donating up to 99% of his wealth to charity. His prison stint in 2024 was spent at Lompoc II, a low-security federal correctional institution, where he reportedly engaged in fitness routines and wrote about his experiences.

Favorite Things

Category Favorite
Asset Bitcoin (BTC), Binance Coin (BNB)
Hobby Poker, Reading
Clothing Black Hoodies (Binance branded)
Food Simple meals (loves fresh fruit)
City Dubai, Paris
Motto “If you can’t hold, you won’t be rich.”
Tech Gadget Smartphone (runs his empire from it)

50 Unknown Facts about Changpeng Zhao

  1. He was born in a rural village in Jiangsu province.

  2. He worked at McDonald’s in Vancouver as a teenager.

  3. He also worked overnight shifts at a Chevron gas station.

  4. He sold his apartment in Shanghai in 2014 to go “all in” on Bitcoin.

  5. The price of Bitcoin dropped from $600 to $200 right after he bought it.

  6. He learned about Bitcoin during a poker game with Bobby Lee and Ron Cao.

  7. He launched Binance with a $15 million ICO (Initial Coin Offering).

  8. Binance became the world’s #1 exchange in just 180 days.

  9. He has the Binance logo tattooed on his arm.

  10. He convinced other early employees to get the same tattoo.

  11. He is a Canadian citizen.

  12. He also holds citizenship in the UAE.

  13. He has 5 children in total.

  14. He has no permanent physical address by choice (until settling in Dubai).

  15. He does not own a car.

  16. He doesn’t wear luxury watches; he wears an Apple Watch or nothing.

  17. He was the wealthiest person in crypto history at his peak ($96B+).

  18. He stepped down as CEO as part of a $4.3 billion settlement with the DOJ.

  19. He served 4 months in a US federal prison in 2024.

  20. He was affectionately called “CZ” by inmates.

  21. He received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump in October 2025.

  22. He launched “Giggle Academy” to provide free education to kids globally.

  23. He practiced karate as a child.

  24. He studied Computer Science at McGill University.

  25. He built trading systems for the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

  26. He worked at Bloomberg Tradebook for four years.

  27. He founded Fusion Systems in 2005.

  28. He was the CTO of OKCoin before starting Binance.

  29. He worked at Blockchain.info with Roger Ver.

  30. He famously tweeted “4” to dismiss FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt).

  31. He is the richest Canadian, surpassing the Thomson family.

  32. He advised Elon Musk on the Twitter acquisition, investing $500 million.

  33. He claims to be “financially free” but continues to work 80-hour weeks.

  34. He reads books on his phone while traveling.

  35. He believes in the “stateless” nature of crypto companies.

  36. He moved Binance headquarters multiple times (China, Japan, Malta) to avoid bans.

  37. He is a fan of the movie Top Gun.

  38. He has a “black belt” in coding (metaphorically).

  39. He admits he is not a good trader, just a good builder of exchanges.

  40. He never sold his Binance equity despite offers.

  41. He follows a “first principles” thinking approach.

  42. He once said, “I don’t care about money. Money is just a tool.”

  43. He is now advising governments on tokenizing national resources.

  44. He appeared at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2026.

  45. He keeps his phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode mostly.

  46. He has met with presidents of El Salvador, Kazakhstan, and France.

  47. He personally answers customer support tickets occasionally.

  48. He believes the future is “DeFi” (Decentralized Finance).

  49. He has a security detail rivaling heads of state.

  50. He plans to dedicate the rest of his life to education and blockchain advocacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Changpeng Zhao?

Changpeng Zhao is 48 years old (as of 2026).

Where does CZ live?

He currently resides in Dubai, UAE, though he travels frequently.

Is Changpeng Zhao married?

He is not legally married but has a long-term life partner, Yi He, with whom he has three children.

How much is CZ worth?

His estimated net worth is $62.9 billion.

Did CZ go to prison?

Yes, he served a four-month sentence in a US federal prison in 2024 for anti-money laundering violations.

What is Giggle Academy?

It is a non-profit education platform launched by CZ in 2024 to provide free basic education (grades 1-12) to children in developing countries.

Does CZ still own Binance?

Yes, while he stepped down as CEO, he retains his majority ownership stake (estimated at 90%) in the company.

Is CZ a US citizen?

No, he is a citizen of Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

What does “SAFU” mean?

It stands for “Secure Asset Fund for Users.” It became a meme after CZ tweeted “Funds are safe” during an outage, which was typoed/meme-ified into “Funds are SAFU.”

Why did Trump pardon CZ?

President Trump pardoned CZ in October 2025, citing his contributions to the crypto industry and business dealings with World Liberty Financial.

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