Changpeng Zhao, the former head of Binance, is preparing for the next step in his career. YZi Labs, the investment company born in early 2024 following the split from Binance, already manages over 10 billion dollars. So far reserved for CZ and a small circle of close associates, this portfolio could soon be open to external investors. The goal: to transform YZi into a major fund, capable of attracting institutional capital interested in crypto, as well as in rapidly expanding sectors like artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
Un empire de 10 milliards de dollars prêt à s’ouvrir
Since his conviction in the United States in 2023 for non-compliance with anti-money laundering rules, CZ has stepped down as head of Binance and served a four-month sentence. Now free and seeking presidential pardon from Donald Trump, he maintains an influential role in the ecosystem and remains the majority shareholder of the world’s largest exchange platform. YZi Labs offers him a new playground. Led by Ella Zhang, former head of Binance Labs, the entity has already injected billions into crypto startups, as well as unconventional deals: a billion-dollar acquisition led by former Bitmain executives, and the transformation of a publicly traded e-cigarette manufacturer into a BNB treasury company.
L’après-Binance, une stratégie de réinvention
The political climate is in favor of CZ. While the Biden administration caused many crypto entrepreneurs to leave, Trump’s arrival changed the game. The SEC itself requested a private presentation of projects supported by YZi Labs, a sign of a more favorable climate. “Founders are returning to Silicon Valley, they feel that the United States wants to reclaim its position as the global capital of crypto“, says Ella Zhang. This momentum could accelerate the fund’s opening to American investors, even if it would expose YZi to increased regulatory scrutiny.
Le retour des capitaux en Silicon Valley
The financial firepower of YZi Labs is huge, but finding opportunities to match it is essential. “CZ told me: your challenge is to deploy“, explains Zhang. Just this summer, more than 50 teams presented their projects to take advantage of the investment frenzy. Today, nearly 70% of the portfolio remains concentrated on digital assets. But diversification is accelerating: AI, robotics, and biotech are becoming priority areas. For Zhao, the vision is clear: “R…robots will perform tasks, and their transactions will pass through crypto wallets.”
YZi Labs doesn’t engage in quick speculation. The company claims a “super long-term” strategy, without an obsession with annual multiples. When it opens to external capital, it must be accompanied by this philosophy: building a benchmark fund for the crypto economy of the next twenty years.
With 10 billion already under management and a pressing demand from investors, CZ only needs to decide when. The ‘former’ king of Binance is about to write the second chapter of his financial empire.
