The list of the richest individuals of Chinese descent around the world has changed dramatically as of November 30, when the mainland magazine “Finance” announced on Weibo that the founder of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, Zhao Changpeng (CZ), has dethroned Zhong Shanshan (chairman of Nongfu Spring) to become the richest Chinese individual in the world with a net worth of 90 billion USD (over 2 trillion VND), while also ranking in the top 10 richest people globally.
This news has caused a stir in the Chinese online community as many are curious about how Zhao Changpeng could surpass the beverage empire of Zhong Shanshan. Even more unbelievable is that Zhao Changpeng founded Binance in just four years.
Zhao Changpeng (1977) was born in Lianyungang (Jiangsu, China). In the late 1980s, he immigrated and became a Canadian citizen. Shortly after, Zhao Changpeng, commonly known as “CZ”, emerged as a significant figure in the cryptocurrency field.
Before founding Binance, Zhao Changpeng had already established a solid footing in Bitcoin. In 2014, he sold real estate in Shanghai and invested all his funds into Bitcoin. His youthful enthusiasm and risk-taking spirit led Zhao Changpeng to initial successes in this field.
On September 4, 2017, China announced new regulations regarding cryptocurrencies. This meant that all trading platforms related to cryptocurrencies had to cease operations entirely by the end of September.
At this time, Zhao Changpeng had only founded Binance three months prior. In October 2017, he relocated all employees and equipment of Binance overseas, spreading them across more than 10 countries and regions worldwide. Binance seized this opportunity to actively operate and develop into the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world.
Zhao Changpeng has achieved remarkable rapid growth for Binance. Additionally, this achievement must also be credited to a key figure – He Yi.
Before venturing into the cryptocurrency field, He Yi was a somewhat famous MC. Later, she joined OKCoin, taking responsibility for product development.
Previously, He Yi was the one who guided Zhao Changpeng to join OKCoin as a technician. It can be said that without He Yi’s support, Zhao Changpeng would not have been able to miraculously establish and develop Binance.
Zhao Changpeng and He Yi are referred to in the industry as the “Golden Duo”. One is responsible for the technical aspects and employee systems within the company, while the other specializes in marketing and product development.
It is known that Binance has an all-female team called “Binance 101 Girlgroup”, led by He Yi. Notably, the requirements to become a member of this team are anything but simple.
He Yi has posted recruitment announcements on Weibo, stating that applicants must meet the following criteria: Female, fair skin, long legs, large breasts, attractive face, good communication skills, experience in live streaming, and preference for those born after 2000.
In the cryptocurrency industry, male users dominate the demographic. Using female IP accounts in exchanges is an optimal method to attract customers and traffic.
Zhao Changpeng has lived in Canada, Japan, Singapore, and has had to change his residence every five years. As he puts it, living in various places around the world has helped him become a “typical global citizen”.
Zhao Changpeng is now at the top of the list of the wealthiest individuals in China. However, he cannot openly appear in China.