Changpeng Zhao, who goes by CZ, is the cofounder and former CEO of Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world. The Chinese-Canadian coder cut his teeth building high-frequency trading systems for Wall Street's flash boys. Zhao founded Binance in 2017 and still owns an estimated 90% of the exchange plus a stash of its BNB tokens. In November 2023, Zhao stepped down as Binance's CEO as part of a sweeping settlement with U.S. authorities. Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program, paid a $50 million fine and served four months in prison. He was pardoned in October 2025 by Donald Trump, whose crypto businesses have had extensive dealings with Binance.