The Binance founder said in a Talking Tokens Podcast interview that he underestimated cross-border legal risk in Binance’s early years and also wishes Binance Futures had launched sooner.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, said he would have focused more on law, compliance and politics if he could go back to 2017, when Binance launched. In a Talking Tokens Podcast interview, Zhao said he underestimated how some U.S. laws can apply across jurisdictions and carry long lookback periods, exposing globally operating crypto firms to risks he did not fully appreciate in Binance’s early years. He also said founders should still launch products early and improve them through market feedback, but treat legal and compliance work as a priority from the start. Zhao added that he regrets not launching Binance Futures sooner, calling the delay a missed commercial opportunity.