He ran the biggest crypto empire, stepped down, served time, and now he’s all about AI and biotech. But as CZ looks ahead, regulators in France are looking back.
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From Binance to YZi Labs
Changpeng Zhao, more commonly known as “CZ,” once the most influential figure in crypto, is back — but this time, in a different role.
After stepping down as Binance’s CEO in 2023 and serving a four-month prison sentence in the U.S. for compliance failures, CZ has returned with YZi Labs — a rebranded version of Binance Labs that is expanding its focus beyond the crypto world.
Unlike its predecessor, which primarily nurtured blockchain startups, YZi Labs is broadening its scope, venturing into artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
The initiative will be led by Ella Zhang, a familiar face from Binance Labs’ early days, and will reintroduce a 12-week, in-person residency program for startup founders. CZ will also be involved, offering mentorship to the next generation of entrepreneurs.
YZi Labs has already made its first major investment, leading a $16 million funding round for Sign, a platform aiming to improve on-chain credential verification and token distribution.
The sign has developed TokenTable, a tool designed to address common issues with airdrops, such as token supply mismanagement and fraudulent claims from fake accounts.
CZ has signalled that blockchain infrastructure and trust mechanisms remain core to his vision, stating in a Fortune report, “Proper distribution builds trust, and verification is an essential p
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Author: Ankish Jain
