Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao is locked in yet another public feud with Bloomberg, this time over how the media giant is portraying his governmental advisory work following his legal troubles.

Media War Escalates as CZ Defends His Post-Conviction Influence

The former CEO of crypto exchange giant Binance has been actively calling out what he perceives as biased coverage from major publications. This isn’t CZ’s first media battle – three years ago, he filed a defamation lawsuit against a Bloomberg subsidiary.

The latest tension centers around Bloomberg’s recent article about CZ’s increasing role in advising governments on cryptocurrency regulation – a role that has raised eyebrows given his guilty plea to money laundering charges.

“Once again, another Bloomberg article taking a joke I made out of context to make breaking news,” CZ posted in response to the latest article. The Binance founder has repeatedly accused media outlets of misrepresenting his comments to generate headlines.

4. Another hit piece from Bloomberg.

Instead of writing an issue with evidence, they pick a person and write fictional attacks with zero evidence.

I heard that Bloomberg may cancel its entire investigative journalism division soon, due to its low ethical standards.🤷‍♂️

— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) April 24, 2025

Global Advisory Role Expands Despite Legal History

Despite his legal issues, CZ has been building an impressive portfolio of advisory positions around the world. In recent weeks alone, he:

• Advised Kyrgyzstan on developing its cryptocurrency hub
• Joined Pakistan’s crypto council
• Met with Malaysia’s Prime Minister to discuss the country’s “potential to become a major hub” for cryptocurrency

Bloomberg’s reporting highlighted these activities while repeatedly referencing his criminal conviction, creating what CZ considers an unfairly negative portrayal.

Context Matters: The Giggle Academy Controversy

One particular point of contention involves comments CZ made during a Q&A about Giggle Academy, a non-profit online education platform helping youth in emerging markets find employment.

When asked about concerns regarding potential child labor issues, CZ replied: “I’ve got to be careful on this one. We don’t want to violate any laws about working age. Giggle doesn’t offer a job market on the platform today, but it plans to in the future. We are also willing to work with labor ministries to review or at least explore what’s the right working age for kids.”

CZ has since claimed this quote was taken out of context and presented as more serious than intended. He emphasized that Giggle has enrolled over 28,000 children, suggesting the focus should be on the platform’s educational impact rather than isolated comments.

The Bigger Picture

At the heart of this dispute lies a fundamental question about redemption and expertise in the cryptocurrency space. While CZ’s legal troubles can’t be ignored, his supporters argue his extensive industry experience makes him a valuable advisor to governments navigating the complex world of digital assets.

The ongoing clash between CZ and Bloomberg represents the broader tension between cryptocurrency pioneers and traditional financial media – a relationship often characterized by mutual distrust and fundamentally different visions for the future of finance.

As CZ continues his advisory work across multiple countries, the debate about his appropriate role in shaping cryptocurrency regulation seems unlikely to subside anytime soon.