# Overview
Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, is a Chinese-Canadian billionaire entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. He was ranked as the third richest crypto billionaire in 2021, with a net worth of $1.9 billion.
# Early Life and Education
Changpeng Zhao was born on November 14, 1976, in Jiangsu Province, China. He moved to Canada with his family at the age of 12, where he attended high school in Vancouver. Zhao later earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from McGill University in Montreal.
# Career and Achievements
Zhao began his career in tech in the early 2000s, working for various companies such as Bloomberg and Fusion Systems. He then worked for cryptocurrency exchange OKCoin in Beijing in 2013, where he served as CTO for less than a year. Zhao then launched his own cryptocurrency trading platform, Binance, in July 2017. In just six months, Binance became the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume.
Under Zhao’s leadership, Binance has achieved numerous milestones, including expanding to over 180 countries, launching Binance Labs (a blockchain incubator), and launching its own cryptocurrency, Binance Coin. In 2021, the company reportedly had over 15 million users with a daily trading volume of over $30 billion.
# Personal Life
Zhao is a private individual when it comes to his personal life, but he does share some information on his social media accounts. He is known for his work ethic and dedication to Binance, which he has stated takes up most of his waking hours. In his free time, he enjoys reading and spending time with his family.
# Profile
| **Name** | Changpeng Zhao |
| — | — |
| **Born** | November 14, 1976 |
| **Country** | China |
| **Sector** | Cryptocurrency |
| **Companies** | Binance |
| **Net Worth** | $1.9 billion |
| **Forbes URL** | https://www.forbes.com/profile/changpeng-zhao/ |
(Note: Net worth is according to Forbes’ estimation as of August 2021 and can fluctuate over time.)