Changpeng Zhao
Awards & Honours
3
Awards Won
3
Honours
3
Rankings
2
Covers
2
Records
Changpeng Zhao's achievements are extraordinary by any measure. He built Binance from a $15 million ICO into the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, handling over $2 trillion in monthly trading volume at its peak. His personal net worth surged to over $100 billion, making him the richest Canadian. Despite legal setbacks, he received a presidential pardon in 2025, a rare reversal of fortune. His influence on the crypto industry is unmatched, having pioneered Binance Coin and Binance Smart Chain, which powered the DeFi boom.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
Richest Canadian
Ranked as Canada's wealthiest person from 2022 onward.
Presidential Pardon
Pardoned by President Donald Trump in October 2025, clearing his criminal record.
Honorary Doctorate
Honorary doctorate for contributions to education and finance.
Rankings & Lists
Forbes Billionaires List
Forbes Midas List
Bloomberg Billionaires Index
Magazine Covers
Forbes Asia
December 2021
The Billionaire Behind the World's Biggest Crypto Exchange
Bloomberg Businessweek
July 2022
CZ: The Man Who Built the Crypto Machine
Records & Feats
World's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume
Binance, under CZ's leadership, became the largest crypto exchange by volume within months of its 2017 launch.
Richest Canadian ever
With a net worth of $111.1 billion in 2026, CZ is the wealthiest Canadian in history.