On July 23, 2026, Changpeng Zhao (CZ) released his memoir 'Freedom of Money', a 457-page book composed entirely from a U.S. prison using 15-minute, $0.05-per-message terminals. CZ declared he will donate all royalties to non-profit organizations and 'retain nothing from book sales.' The title itself makes a bold claim about Bitcoin's core value: money should be free from state control.
Written in 15-Minute Bursts from Prison
During his incarceration, CZ used short daily terminal sessions to craft what he calls 'a gradual infrastructure upgrade' for blockchain technology. In a Binance Square post, he said writing in snippets taught him patience. The book went on sale globally on April 8, 2026. CZ stressed: 'I keep zero, all proceeds go to charity.' For a man who once ran a billion-dollar exchange, the decision to give away book earnings raised eyebrows — but CZ argues it aligns with his belief in 'freedom of money.'
'Refined Egoist': CZ's Brutal Takedown of SBF
The memoir's sharpest passages target FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. CZ labels SBF 'a refined egoist' — someone who appears polished but operates through manipulation. He recounts briefly considering an acquisition of FTX in 2022, walking away when SBF's team 'could not even provide a complete balance sheet within 24 hours.' CZ argues that Bankman-Fried's 'business logic was not based on product competition' but on 'weakening competitors through skilled political lobbying and regulatory manipulation.' The accusation directly undermines SBF's earlier public image as a crypto savior.
The Star Xu Bomb: Dinner, Screenshots, and Billion-Dollar Bets
Another explosive claim: CZ writes that Huobi founder Li Lin told him during a dinner in 2025 that Li had seen a screenshot showing OKX founder Star Xu personally reporting Li to Chinese authorities, leading to Li's arrest. Star Xu fired back on Binance's social platform, calling the claims 'completely false information' and adding that 'if reports alone could determine outcomes, this industry would have ceased to exist long ago.' He then accused CZ of lying about his divorce and failing to properly divide Binance equity. CZ countered: 'I am officially divorced and willing to bet $1 billion on the accuracy of the documents — lawyers can verify the agreement.' The public brawl now involves lawyers, screenshots, and a billion-dollar wager.
Industry Shockwaves: A Personal History Reshaping Reputations
For a crypto sector still digesting the FTX collapse and watching one of its most prominent founders navigate life after a plea deal, 'Freedom of Money' lands as both a personal narrative and a fresh source of controversy. As one LinkedIn recap put it, CZ's literary debut offers 'his first detailed public narrative since pleading guilty.' The mix of prison details, charity pledges and score-settling ensures the book's release is as much about reshaping reputations as retelling history — exposing fault lines that run deep through the industry.