secure enough today. But I think as the industry
evolves, things will get better.
Q: How do you personally invest your money?
Zhao: I actually don’t do much investment. I’m
one of those really bad examples to follow for
most other people.
I bought some Bitcoins in 2014. I spent a little
bit of it over time, but I held onto most of it. I did
not sell.
The other asset I hold, which is the majority of
my net worth, is BNB (Binance coin). Personally,
I don’t hold any other coins. I am a decent sized
shareholder in Binance, if we ever want to realize
the equity value someday.
I personally do not own equity in any other
project, crypto or not crypto. I do this very
deliberately because I don’t want any potential
conflicts of interest. So I’m very, very not
diversified, which I actually do not recommend
to most people.
But for me, I can take the risk. As long as I don’t
do anything unethical — even if something
happens to Binance, and we don’t make it, and
if I say I’m going to do another project, I believe
my credibility is there for other people to invest
a lot of money.
Personally, I’m financially free. I don’t need a lot
of money, and I can maintain my lifestyle in this
way. I do intend to give away most of my wealth,
like many wealthy entrepreneurs or founders did
from Rockefeller until today. I do intend to give
away 90, 95 or 99% of my wealth.
Q: Crypto seems so divisive, where people are
either fervent believers or think it’s worthless.
Will it always be this all-or-nothing thing?