Key Points
- Bloomberg interviewed Binance’s founder, CZ, ahead of US election results.
- Previously, CZ concluded the 2-day Binance Blockchain Week event in Dubai.
Binance’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, was recently interviewed by Bloomberg, just ahead of Trump’s victory in the US elections, offering the first press interview following his release from prison.
Bloomberg shared the most important highlights of the discussion in a recent article titled, “The King Is Back”: Binance Billionaire CZ Plots Life After Prison.
Reflecting on Forced Separation From Binance
Bloomberg noted that CZ shared his thoughts about his separation from Binance, among other issues including his months of incarceration, during which he worked out, wrote a book, and talked crypto with fellow inmates.
CZ said that he’s not thinking about going back to Binance. However, he said that he led the company for 7 years and enjoyed it, but that remains a closed chapter.
He also said that he received offers to sell his controlling stake in Binance, but he didn’t disclose the amount involved or the entities who came with the proposal.
CZ stated that he’s happy to review all offers, but at this point, he remains a regular shareholder at the exchange.
Binance’s $500 Million Investment in Musk’s X
Bloomberg also highlighted that while CZ was still CEO at Binance, the exchange invested $500 million in Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover.
Meanwhile, the platform rebranded and it’s now known as X. Also, Musk became a Trump supporter and he’s set to become the leader of a new Department of Government Efficiency, according to Trump’s recent promises.
Regarding CZ’s opinion on the US elections, he didn’t comment during his interview with Bloomberg ahead of the final results, but he did address X’s current direction.
He said that since Musk took over, things have moved faster at X, with new features and changes. CZ also highlighted that he’s not concerned about the value of Binance’s investment in X going up or down since they are long-term investors.
Prison Time
CZ also addressed his prison time, mentioning being checked into a facility with a camp that once housed Richard Nixon’s chief of staff following the Watergate scandal.
CZ described his days there as a mix of push-ups, book writing, and awful, unhealthy, prison food. He also said that his fellow inmates quickly found out that he is “not poor”, but a “big Bitcoin guy,” as Bloomberg noted. Inmates even reportedly asked him which coins to buy.
During his time in jail, CZ reportedly made a friend – a crypto fan who was serving a 25-year sentence for robbing a bank, and since his release, he’s been trying to connect him with pro-bono lawyers, hoping to help him get out sooner.
Exploring Investments in AI, Biotech, and Giggle Academy
During the interview, CZ also said that since he’s no longer involved in Binance’s decisions, he’s exploring other investments including AI, biotech, and his Giggle Academy, a digital learning platform for people who don’t have access to education.
These subjects were recently addressed by CZ during Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai, where his statements closed the event.
During his speech in Dubai, CZ highlighted education as his main current focus and the willingness to help people learn with the help of AI, and get jobs easier in today’s world.
Emotional Attachment to Binance
CZ is now back with his family – his children and wife, He Yi, who also delivered an amazing speech in Dubai about Binance’s journey through good and bad, its strong culture, principles, and its focus on continuing to build in Web3.
CZ concluded the interview with Bloomberg by highlighting that even if he doesn’t plan to get back to the CEO job at Binance, he will always have an emotional attachment to the exchange.
“It’s like a kid, right? Once it grows up, it doesn’t need to be attached to me,” he said.
Binance’s new CEO is Richard Teng, another important name in the industry, and the exchange continues its successful story, a journey that debuted under CZ’s guidance in July 2017.
