Binance's CZ shares 'two big lessons' after FTX collapse

Quick Take

  • Binance’s Changpeng “CZ” Zhao shared what he said were two big lessons after the FTX implosion.
  • “Never use a token you created as collateral,” Zhao wrote on Twitter.

Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao shared what he said were two big lessons after confirming earlier in the day that FTX had agreed to sell its non-U.S. assets to the rival exchange amid a liquidity crunch. 

"Never use a token you created as collateral," he wrote on Twitter. "Don’t borrow if you run a crypto business. Don't use capital 'efficiently.' Have a large reserve."

He said that Binance had never used its BNB token for collateral and has never taken on debt. The news earlier in the day triggered a broad selloff in crypto markets, as traders worried about broader contagion. 

"Stay #SAFU," he said, referring to a term used by crypto enthusiasts to denote that "funds are safe."

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About Author

Nathan Crooks is the U.S managing editor at The Block, based in Miami. He was previously at Bloomberg News for 12 years, where he helmed coverage of South Florida after roles as a breaking news editor and bureau chief in Caracas, Venezuela. He's interviewed presidents, government ministers and CEOs, and, besides crypto, has covered major news events on the ground from earthquakes to hurricanes to the Chilean mine rescue in 2018. Nathan, a native of Clarion, Pennsylvania, holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto, where he completed a specialist in political science, and an MBA from American University in Washington, D.C.

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