Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, is making waves again in the crypto world. Fresh off his legal hurdles, his $10 billion investment firm, YZi Labs, is eyeing a big shift: opening up to external investors and possibly transforming into a public fund. This news, first reported by the Financial Times, has the community buzzing, especially those deep in the meme token scene on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC).

Let's break it down. YZi Labs isn't your average VC firm. It spun out from Binance earlier this year, managing a whopping $10 billion portfolio that's mostly (about 70%) in digital assets. The firm handles investments for CZ himself, his longtime partner and Binance co-founder Yi He, and some early Binance execs. Think of it as a family office on steroids, dipping into crypto startups, AI, and biotech.

CZ's journey to this point has been a rollercoaster. Back in 2017, he co-founded Binance, turning it into the globe's top crypto exchange. But in 2023, things got rocky—he pleaded guilty to U.S. charges for not preventing money laundering, stepped down as CEO, and served a four-month stint in jail. Binance coughed up over $4.3 billion in penalties. Now, CZ is reportedly seeking a pardon from President Trump and remains Binance's biggest shareholder, still hyping BNB on social media.

Why Open to External Investors?

According to Ella Zhang, head of YZi Labs (no relation to CZ, by the way), there's tons of interest from outside investors. In an interview, she said, "There’s always a lot of external investors interested and we will eventually consider turning it into an external-facing fund. We just think it’s not there yet." The firm briefly took in about $300 million from outsiders in 2022 but partially returned it to stay lean.

The plan? Build more expertise in AI and biotech first. Once that's solid, they might welcome external capital, though that could mean more regulatory eyes, especially from the U.S. And with talks of converting to a public fund, YZi could become a major player accessible to more folks in the crypto space.

Recent Moves and the BNB Connection

YZi Labs isn't sitting idle. They've been active, backing a $1 billion deal with ex-Bitmain execs and leading a $500 million raise to convert a Nasdaq-listed vape company into a BNB treasury firm. For the uninitiated, a treasury firm in crypto often holds and manages large amounts of tokens like BNB to support ecosystem growth, liquidity, and even meme token launches.

This is where it gets exciting for meme token enthusiasts. BSC, powered by BNB, is a hotspot for memes—think low fees, fast transactions, and a vibrant community. If YZi pumps more into BNB-related projects, it could supercharge liquidity and innovation in the meme space. CZ's vision, as shared by Zhang, includes robotics using crypto wallets for transactions, which could tie into futuristic meme narratives or DeFi plays.

Deploying $10 billion isn't easy, though. Zhang quoted CZ: "Your challenge is to deploy. It’s just so hard to find so many good enough assets to meet our criteria." They're taking a long-term view, not chasing quick flips like traditional VCs.

What This Means for Meme Tokens

In the broader crypto market, especially under a more crypto-friendly Trump administration, moves like this could signal a bull run resurgence. Meme tokens on BSC might see indirect benefits—more capital flowing into the ecosystem means better tools, more launches, and potentially higher valuations for BNB, which underpins many memes.

We've seen over 50 teams pitch to YZi recently amid a fundraising frenzy. If they open up, expect a flood of meme-adjacent projects vying for funds. For blockchain practitioners, this is a reminder to stay sharp: track YZi's investments for alpha on emerging tech and tokens.

Keep an eye on BSC News for updates—they broke this story on X. As the meme world evolves, shifts at the top like this could ripple down to your favorite dog or cat coin. What's your take—bullish on BNB memes?