CZ's Crypto Comeback: Is He Aiming for the Throne Again?

Fresh out of California and back in the crypto mix for 170 days, CZ, the former head honcho of Binance, is making moves. It's like he never left, even though he stepped down as CEO back in November 2023. His Twitter game is strong, his event appearances are up, and he's diving into new stuff with more energy than when he was running the world's biggest crypto exchange.

Recently, Binance snagged a cool $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi's MGX. And guess what blew up with it? A meme coin named MUBARAK, sporting the "headscarf" meme, went viral thanks to CZ's engagement. It hit a whopping $157 million market cap! Imagine, just a tweet and a BNB transaction turning into a BNB Chain meme sensation, all from the guy who used to preach "BUIDL." It’s got people talking, for sure.

Could this be CZ's way of rebuilding his crypto empire, but this time, without the official title and with more freedom? It definitely feels like he's crafting a new kind of influence in the crypto world.

CZ making waves again in the crypto space.

From Tech Evangelist to Meme Master: CZ's Crypto Re-entry

Right after his return, CZ jumped back into his role as the crypto tech guru, talking up blockchain, decentralized tech, AI, and biotech. He said he’s putting more time and money into charity and education. But in a market that's not too hot on traditional VC stuff, CZ isn't just sticking to the old "BUIDL" mantra. Instead, he's embraced the meme coin craze, becoming the ultimate "BNB Community Leader" in the process.

One of CZ's first big moves was to pump up DeSci – Decentralized Science. This is a bit more VC-ish, focusing on getting real-world science stuff onto the blockchain. Think biotech meets blockchain.

Remember that DeSci conference in Bangkok where CZ showed up with Vitalik? Suddenly, DeSci, which was pretty niche, became the hot new thing. Binance Labs (now Yzi Labs) quickly invested in Bio protocol, a DeSci project aiming to use blockchain for research data ownership, transparent funding, and commercializing scientific breakthroughs.

Yzi Labs is now all about biotech investments, and even Four.meme, a popular meme coin launchpad on BNB Chain, offers a DeSci tag for new tokens.

DeSci is grabbing the attention of researchers everywhere. Just like DeFi lured in finance folks and NFTs brought in artists, scientists might be the next wave to jump into Web3, bringing fresh ideas and growth.

CZ alongside Vitalik Buterin at a DeSci event.

Beyond backing promising sectors, CZ is also diving into the latest market trends, especially meme coins. He's gone from saying meme coins are worthless to admitting they're a thing, and now he's actively participating. Remember the drama over the Broccoli meme coin name? Or when he joked about the TST test coin needing to pay Binance for using their logo? Then there was the meme coin donation trend he sparked by sharing his donation address, and the recent MUBARAK coin tied to Binance’s Abu Dhabi investment. Basically, CZ's been instrumental in creating every major meme coin on the BNB Chain.

The MUBARAK saga is a masterclass in meme coin manipulation. On March 13th, Binance announced the Abu Dhabi investment, and CZ retweeted a Binance Chinese post with Middle Eastern vibes, simply saying "mubarak." The next day, he shared a community-made meme "MUBARAK=CZ." On the 15th, he tweeted an image with a Mubarak theme, causing the token price to skyrocket 150% in a day. And on the 16th, he bought 1 BNB worth of MUBARAK and TST on-chain, pushing MUBARAK's market cap over $100 million.

MUBARAK meme coin surge influenced by CZ's actions.

This three-step move – tweet, community content, on-chain action – turns CZ’s personal influence directly into market power. MUBARAK hit a $100 million market cap in just four days, with daily trading volume peaking at $88.1 million, while liquidity was under $5 million. It's all about attention being the new capital in CZ's meme coin economy. This is a step up from the Broccoli coin incident, where just watching the community fight over a name led to a short-lived $20 million buzz. Now, BNB Chain memes are fully under CZ's attention-driving control.

Even though CZ usually distances himself from these meme tokens, his changing attitude towards them shows how his relationship with the community and the whole crypto industry is evolving. It’s a lesson for all crypto influencers on how to keep the ecosystem hyped when the market isn’t booming, using the "attention economy."

Education Push: CZ's Plan to Reshape Society

But CZ's biggest passion project is Giggle Academy, his education platform for the Greater Bay Area. He sees this open-access education initiative as a key part of his new chapter. On March 3rd, CZ tweeted, "One kid at a time, times 6,000 now," celebrating Giggle Academy's user milestone.

Giggle Academy's user base growth.

Launched in March 2024, Giggle Academy uses blockchain tech to gamify basic education in subjects like math, science, and even crypto, AI, and finance. It uses NFTs and on-chain badges to revamp learning credentials in a decentralized way.

Giggle Academy aims to fix two main issues: making learning stickier through gamification (they claim a 23% increase in daily study time compared to traditional online courses) and tackling degree inflation. By making learning records unchangeable on the blockchain, they want to shift focus from degrees to actual skills. CZ believes "teaching someone to fish is better than giving them a fish." Education is key to solving global inequality, and blockchain can offer transparent, verifiable solutions.

However, Giggle Academy won't launch a token and is funded entirely by CZ personally, avoiding the usual Web3 "learn-to-earn" model. "That could cause a lot of problems," he noted. Instead, they're introducing a non-crypto points-based referral system. This 'anti-Web3 bubble' approach highlights CZ’s focus on real-world impact. Clearly, CZ is aiming to use blockchain to overhaul learning assessment and create a globally accessible education model.

Giggle Academy aiming to revolutionize global education through blockchain.

Crypto Leader: Finding Balance Between Industry and Personal Ambition

In just 170 days, CZ's Twitter activity has exploded, averaging almost two hundred tweets daily, a 30% jump from his time as Binance CEO. Over 60% of his tweets are about industry trends, project updates, and his investment ideas. This isn't just "retirement"; it's a strategic identity makeover. By downplaying the "Binance founder" label, CZ is evolving his image from "exchange kingpin" to "crypto ecosystem builder."

Before his legal issues, as an early crypto believer and head of the top centralized exchange, CZ had to navigate regulations and compliance. He even had to publicly reject meme coin investments. This stance was tied to the regulatory heat Binance was facing globally, needing to stay away from risky assets. Back then, CZ was all about building, urging everyone to "BUIDL Web3." Even before fully stepping down as CEO (CZ admitted he'd never used DeFi), he was already pushing others into Web3.

But now, free from the official CEO role, a new persona is emerging. How does CZ stay influential without being the CEO or a core figure? His influence isn't just in crypto itself, but also in how he invests his wealth. Even without a formal title, CZ is still significantly shaping the direction and future of the crypto world.