Community embraces CZ as he walks free

The man of the week, Changpeng Zhao, also known as “CZ” in the crypto sector, has walked free this weekend for the first time since April.

Following several months in federal custody and a halfway house after failing to implement adequate anti-money laundering controls at Binance, CZ was released on September 27.

CZ is known as the crypto community’s “savior”, due to his unparalleled knowledge of blockchain and its trading infrastructure, as well as his role as founder of the largest crypto exchange in the world, Binance.

Extremely vocal about crypto and the opportunities that lie within it, CZ’s affiliation with the crypto community is very personal. He was cheered on for years for his continuous representation of how “blockchain will change the world”, and after all these years, it turns out he was right. 

Just like many of the investors, builders, developers, and founders, CZ also has a degen side, where he explicitly jokes around with the crowd and connects with each and every one of us.

During CZ’s imprisonment, tilting in negative thoughts and harsh realities, he was overwhelmed by the support of the community. On X, he said, “I want to thank everyone for your support. It meant a lot to me and kept me strong in the darkest moments.”

Upon his release, the community is sticking by him, with reputable figures in the industry voicing their opinion. Trader XO reached out to CZ on X with a comment stating, “A pleasure to see you back again, nothing but good memories when Binance first launched and changed the game.”

Crypto advocate and content creator Jake Gagain also supports the ex-Binance CEO, tweeting “Your story in blockchain is just beginning. With style & grace you will lead us all to a more decentralized future.”

On November 21, 2023, before his sentence, CZ plead guilty and stepped down as the CEO of Binance, agreeing to a $4.3 billion settlement with the US. 

Moving on now, he has made his ambitions of contributing to education and charity clear by building and continuing to support the non-profit platform Giggle Academy. This easy-to-use site is free and incorporates engaging online lessons and games, with the goal of educating everyone around the world.

Though he’s no longer affiliated with Binance, CZ’s role in the industry itself is not over. In his most recent tweet on September 29, he said, “[I] will continue to invest in blockchain/decentralized technologies, AI, and biotech. I am a long-term investor who cares about impact, not returns.”

He’s also working on a book, which is two-thirds complete. No clues yet as to what it will be about, perhaps education or a little crypto humor. Only time will tell.

The Crypto Hero isn’t gone – he’s just in the backend in a supporting role. CZ is the peoples’ founder, our friend and emissary, who has brought the biggest infrastructure changes to trading cryptocurrencies