Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder and former CEO of Binance, is restructuring this unit as a family office, allowing it to continue on its way with a broader vision.

With this transformation, Binance Labs will now operate under the name YZi Labs and focus on impactful investments not only in the crypto and blockchain spaces, but also in broader technology areas.

In the official statement made on January 23, 2025, it was announced that the name of Binance Labs was changed to YZi Labs and the new leadership team was introduced. YZi Labs will be led by Binance founder CZ and Ella Zhang, who co-founded Binance Labs in 2018.

Ella Zhang played a critical role in the success of major projects during her tenure at Binance Labs.

Under Zhang’s leadership, projects such as Polygon, Injective, Dune Analytics, Certik and SafePal were incubated, which have become one of the most successful ecosystems in the crypto industry today.

Leveraging Zhang’s experience, YZi Labs will focus on both supporting existing projects and paving the way for new initiatives.

The announcement of YZi Labs revealed that it will not only be limited to cryptocurrency and blockchain projects, but will also focus on new and exciting investment areas such as artificial intelligence, web3 and biotechnology. This new strategy aims to achieve not only financial returns but also social impact by pushing the boundaries of technological innovation.

These new focus areas of YZi Labs bear signs of the transition to a structure that can respond more comprehensively to the changing needs in the industry and the impact of technology on society. It is planned to invest in a fast-growing field such as artificial intelligence by researching the decentralized structures of web3 and the effects of biotechnology on human health.

CZ resigned as Binance CEO in 2023 following an agreement with US authorities. CZ, who was sentenced to a four-month prison sentence in this process, completed this sentence in a correctional facility in California and returned to the industry on September 27, 2024.

In a statement he made on social media platform X after his release from prison, CZ announced that he would focus on creating “impact” rather than financial gain in his future investments. Stating that he wants to focus on the fields of education and innovation, CZ also announced his plan to launch an education project called Giggle Academy.

CZ’s return also accelerated the process of severing ties with Binance’s venture capital arm. This new approach played an important role in the restructuring of YZi Labs.

YZi Labs plans to redesign the incubation programs of its venture capital unit and implement new settlement programs for project founders. These programs aim to enable entrepreneurs to develop their projects with a more solid support system.

In addition, YZi Labs will continue to support more than 250 projects in its current portfolio. These projects include both early-stage startups and important ecosystems that have become market leaders. The company’s long-term goal is to further expand this portfolio and increase the social impact of the projects it invests in.

The separation process between Binance and YZi Labs began to become clear with CZ’s return to the industry. Binance transformed its venture capital unit into a completely different structure, allowing the company to move forward independently of its main operations.

The reason behind this decision is that CZ focuses its investment strategy on creating social impact rather than financial gain. The restructuring of Binance Labs as YZi Labs is considered a reflection of this strategic change.

YZi Labs carries the legacy of Binance Labs into the future with an innovative perspective. Under CZ’s leadership, this expansion into new investment areas will enable the company to take on a greater role in creating both technology and social benefit.

These steps taken by YZi Labs, focusing on areas such as artificial intelligence, web3 and biotechnology, carry the mission of exploring all aspects of technological innovation, not just limited to crypto and blockchain projects.

As CZ’s new vision puts the company on track to create a broader global impact, YZi Labs is expected to set a new standard in this industry.