NewsBinance Founder CZ Says ‘I am Not Against Meme Coins,’ But Declares He’s Not Investing in Them
Anjali Belgaumkar10 Feb 20254 min read
Even with the crypto market going through a lot of ups and downs, new meme coins are starting to gain more attention and even see some big price boosts. One meme coin making headlines is Test (TST), a new coin on the Binance Smart Chain. There have been rumors that it’s linked to Changpeng Zhao Changpeng Zhao at Binance Changpeng Zhao, often known as CZ, is a Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur who co-founded Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume. He was born in 1977 in Jiangsu, China, and later relocated to Canada with his family. CZ studied computer science at McGill University in Montreal. In the early stage of his career, he worked in financial trading technology. He built trading systems for major platforms such as Bloomberg and the Tokyo Stock Exchange, gaining strong experience in high-speed trading infrastructure. Quick Facts: Field Details Full Name Changpeng Zhao Popular Name CZ Birth 1977, Jiangsu, China Nationality Chinese-Canadian Education Computer Science, McGill University Known For Co-founder of Binance Industry Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Fintech Career Overview: CZ joined the cryptocurrency sector in 2013. During his early years, he worked for Bitcoin websites like Blockchain.com and OKCoin. In 2017, he co-founded Binance. The exchange debuted in July of that year and rapidly became the top cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. Binance has grown far beyond traditional cryptocurrency trading over the years. The platform currently offers derivatives trading, staking services, and its own blockchain network called BNB Chain. Timeline of Events: 2010 - Worked in financial trading technology, gaining experience in high-frequency trading systems. 2015 - Founded BijieTech, a company focused on crypto-mining software. 2017 - Co-founded Binance and launched the exchange in July. 2021 - Binance expanded globally but withdrew its exchange application in Singapore due to regulatory challenges. 2022 - Binance invested $500 million in Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. 2023 - Binance faced growing regulatory scrutiny across multiple regions. 2024 - Appointed strategic advisor to the Pakistan Crypto Council by the Ministry of Finance. 2025 - Became an advisor to Sadyr Japarov on digital-asset development in Kyrgyzstan. Notable Work & Achievements of Changpeng Zhao: Year Achievement Details 2018 Forbes Crypto Rich List Listed among the richest people in crypto with an estimated net worth of around $1–2 billion 2019 Binance.US Launch Binance expanded to the U.S. with a separate regulated platform 2022 Twitter Acquisition Investment Binance participated in financing Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter 2024 Pakistan Crypto Council Advisor Helped guide national discussions on crypto regulation 2025 Kyrgyzstan Digital Asset Advisor Advised the Kyrgyz government on blockchain and digital-asset development EntrepreneurInvestorChief Executive Officer the founder of Binance. But CZ has stepped in to clear things up and address the growing buzz around TST.
CZ Sets the Record Straight About TST
CZ recently posted online to explain that TST was never officially endorsed by him or Binance. “It was just a test token used in a video tutorial,” he said. Despite his clarification, TST’s popularity only grew. “Every clarification post just made it more viral for whatever reason,” CZ jokes.
As for the listing of TST on Binance, CZ explained that he wasn’t involved in the decision. “Exchanges want to list popular coins with high trading volume,” he said. “If your coin is in demand, you don’t need to talk to exchanges. Just focus on your project.”
Is CZ Moving Away From Fundamentals?
With the rise of meme coins, many wondered if CZ was shifting his focus away from the core principles of crypto. However, CZ made it clear that this was not the case. “I’m a builder,” he said. “I always focus on fundamentals.”
Does he have any interest in meme coins? CZ said he hasn’t bought any. “I haven’t bought a single meme coin yet,” he confirmed. He also said that just because he’s not into meme coins, it doesn’t mean he’s against them. “I’ve worked hard to support many altcoins and the crypto industry as a whole, and I have the same view on meme coins.”
Why Are Meme Coins So Popular?
So why are meme coins like TST becoming so popular, especially compared to utility tokens? CZ had a few thoughts on this. He pointed out that in recent years, regulators have cracked down on utility tokens, calling them securities, which led some people to turn to meme coins as a safer option.
He also explained that meme coins are harder to value, which makes them attractive to speculators. “Things with clear value are harder to speculate on,” he said. “Memes are fun, and there’s a whole community around them.”
Never Miss a Beat in the Crypto World!
Stay ahead with breaking news, expert analysis, and real-time updates on the latest trends in Bitcoin, altcoins, DeFi, NFTs, and more.
