The man is back! After nearly four months of detention, Binance founder Zhao Changpeng (CZ) was officially released at the end of September this year and is attending the Binance Blockchain Week Dubai 2024, on the afternoon of the 31st local time.
The host first asked CZ how his prison life was.
CZ admitted that it is indeed very bad; he cannot do anything, and what he misses the most is interpersonal connections. He misses his children, friends, and community... He was not troubled in prison, although some guards were quite strict.
Additionally, when asked by the host whether he thinks a four-month prison sentence is unfair, CZ acknowledged that it is a severe accusation, but he understands that every party has its position, so he does not dwell on whether the charges are unjust or overly harsh.
Interestingly, CZ mentioned that there are articles stating he is the richest prisoner in history, but in reality, the money they can use in prison is limited. He jokingly stated that he is actually quite poor in prison.
What is the current relationship between CZ and Binance?
CZ frankly admitted that he should not and is not allowed to continue participating in Binance operations at the moment, but he stated that he is still a major shareholder in Binance and can still obtain information about the company's operational status, although he cannot make decisions or issue orders.
Current CEO Richard Teng previously stated in an interview with (Axios) that CZ's exit from Binance was one of the key conditions of the settlement agreement with the Department of Justice, and he is prohibited from holding any leadership position at Binance.
However, Richard added that CZ is still the largest shareholder and will retain all shareholder rights. He always has the right to replace or nominate new board members or a new CEO.
He also revealed that he still has enough physical strength and mental energy to focus on his next goals. He stated that he will have more time to research AI and DeFi, which he had too much free time to study in the past. He will focus on his education project, Giggle Academy. In the future, his focus or investment priorities will be on three areas: blockchain, AI, and biotechnology.
Market predictions for 2025?
When it comes to the predictions for 2025, CZ is more conservative, stating that he does not want to give financial advice and emphasizes that he cannot predict the future. Overall, it is a very conservative prediction: unable to predict short-term changes in cryptocurrency, but very optimistic in the long term.
What is the next step?
As for the question about CZ's next step, he stated that he will focus on promoting his education project, Giggle Academy, which aims to provide free basic education for underprivileged children.
Many people are concerned whether the project will incorporate Web3. He stated that there are currently no plans to issue new tokens in the short term. In the long run, the platform can integrate blockchain elements, such as supporting Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, etc. They are building incentive mechanisms for this system to ensure the tokens can operate normally.
