Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao Recounts Prison Hardships: 'I Was Scared, My Cellmate Had A Sentence For Murdering Two Guys At Once'

Binance BNB/USD founder Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, has offered his first detailed account of his prison experience, describing the mental and emotional strain, the fear he felt upon arrival and the realities of being confined with violent offenders.

What Happened: "I would not wish that experience on anyone," he said in an interview on Farouk Radio at the Token 2049 conference, reflecting on his incarceration following Binance's settlement with U.S. authorities.

He recalled being placed in a low-security U.S. prison alongside violent offenders.

"My celly has a 30-year sentence for murdering two guys at once," he said. "I was scared… the minute you walk in, there are guys with tattoos, big, buffy guys, face tattoos, head tattoos. It's not fun."

Although Zhao had expected to serve in a minimum-security facility due to the non-violent nature of his offense, his non-U.S. citizenship placed him in a harsher environment.

"Once you’re in prison, the prison guys don't care who you are," he said. "They treat you like anyone else."

The psychological toll, he said, was heavier than the physical hardship.

"The most painful thing was mentally. I was always worried they might keep me longer than four months," he said, referencing the possibility of additional charges or detainers. "It becomes Hotel California. You can check in, but you can never check out."

Despite the challenges, Zhao said the experience reshaped his priorities.

"Health is most important, then family," he said. "You don't miss the money. You don't miss the work. You miss your family."

He's now focused on advising founders, building an education platform, and spending high-quality time with his family. "Even if it's not a lot of time, I don't look at my phone. It's deliberate now."

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Why It Matters: Zhao also addressed the crypto industry's current moment, especially the emergence of meme coins, real-world assets (RWAs) and decentralized science (DeSci).

He acknowledged meme coins’ grip on retail attention, but warned of their speculative nature. "Ninety-nine point nine percent of them will fail," he said. "It's taking attention away from utility projects."

He sees more promise in AI, DeSci and RWAs.

"AI will marry blockchain. AI is a post-blockchain technology," he said. "DeSci can be huge, using smart contracts to fund science on milestones. That's how we accelerate drug discovery, biology research."

Zhao, who stepped down from Binance amid regulatory pressure, also expressed cautious optimism about the shift in U.S. policy under the current administration.

"I didn't expect the U.S. to do a 180 in 100 days," he said. "President Trump is pro-crypto, not just in words, in action. That changes everything."

Referring to recent news reports, including a Wall Street Journal story alleging he cooperated with authorities to reduce his sentence, Zhao denied receiving special treatment.

"I was told I was being centrally monitored, but the other inmates and guards didn't know who I was," he said. "That article was just a hit job."

Zhao has applied for a presidential pardon but said it's out of his hands. "You can't lobby for it, but I wouldn't mind it."

Asked whether he would return to lead Binance, Zhao was firm: "That chapter is closed. I'm a one-shot pony, and I'm good with that."

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