The co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, Zhao Changpeng (CZ), made his first public statement after being released from prison, promising to continue investing in the blockchain sector, as well as artificial intelligence and biotechnology. He described himself as a long-term investor focused on "impact rather than returns."
CZ served four months in prison in the United States and was released last Friday. He mentioned on the social platform X that his non-profit online education platform, Giggle Academy, is developing smoothly, stating, "The next few years will be an important part of my life." CZ also indicated that he would dedicate more time and funds to charity and revealed that he is writing a book, of which he has completed two-thirds.
The crypto community originally hoped that CZ's release would bring some favorable changes to Binance. However, according to a previous report by Axios, Binance CEO Richard Teng confirmed that the exchange had explicitly stated in a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that Zhao Changpeng would be "permanently banned" from managing or operating the company.
In his latest public statement, CZ also noted that Binance seems to be operating well without his direction, saying, "That's really great; it's every founder's dream."