
The Beginning of a Builder
Changpeng Zhao was born in Jiangsu, China. His father, a university professor, was labeled during the Cultural Revolution and the family later moved to Vancouver. Young CZ worked at McDonald’s and gas stations to help his parents. Those years shaped his values: precision, persistence, and quiet discipline. He wasn’t born into privilege. He built from the ground up.
“Discipline, speed, independence — the blueprint of a builder.”