Binance CEO: 4 Months in Prison, $4 Billion Fine, and What Comes Next

CZ's Immigration from China to Canada00:00

CZ's father went to Canada to study in 1984, five years before Tiananmen Square. He was a professor in China, participated in an exchange program at University of Toronto, then moved to UBC in Vancouver. Family applied for Chinese passports in 1985, took 2-3 years to get them, then additional years for visas. They arrived shortly after 1989. Post-Tiananmen, new passports became harder but visas easier, which helped them.

At age 12, CZ was living on a university campus (China Science and Technology University, one of top four in China). Subconsciously impacted by discussions on democracy among older students.

Arrival in Vancouver02:30

Vancouver was completely different: nice greenery, open space, high living standard, clean, bigger fruits. CZ studied English in school but was not fluent.

Father was assistant professor at UBC, earned $1,000 CAD/month stipend, lived in low-cost faculty housing on campus. Mother, a math and history teacher in China, worked at a sewing factory for minimum wage for 7-10 years on third day of arrival.

Early Jobs and Teenage Years04:00

CZ got first job at McDonald's at 14 or 15, flipping burgers. Minimum wage in BC was $6, but McDonald's paid $4.50 due to exemption for young kids. Had both Asian and Caucasian friends, unlike most Asians who stuck together. Teenager years in Canada were the best, shaped him to be a happy person.

Not a precocious coding kid; interested in programming in high school, decent coder but not a genius. Wrote code for first 8 years of career, then shifted to business development, sales around age 28-30.