I Started Reading CZ’s book "Freedom of Money" … Here’s What I’m Already Thinking
@katerinaramm
Posted 5d ago · 9 min read
I feel blessed.
Blessed because I’ve started understanding money earlier than most people in my circle ever will. Blessed because I chose a path that, at the time, was far less traveled. The crypto path.
A path that has evolved so much since 2017, that still now, it often feels like I’m exploring it for the very first time.
Starting in crypto back in 2017, things were very different. Maybe there were more opportunities for profit, but definitely they were risky ones. I chose the safer route, and honestly, I don’t regret it for a second.
Back then, both me and Binance were just getting started. Binance has come a much longer way than I have. However, what matters most is that we’re both still here.
And that says a lot.
CZ has always been someone I admire.
So when his book was announced, I immediately knew I had to get it.
An opportunity to understand how everything unfolded, from his own perspective. His mindset, his decisions, his vision—all in one place.
This book already feels meaningful as it was written during his time in prison. Also, I am grateful that he chose all the earnings to go to charity purposes.
I’ve just started reading it on Kindle (while planning to order the paperback), and I already know this won’t be my only post about it. I’ll be back when I finish it, with a full reflection.
But for now…
Here are some of the things I expect to learn from CZ’s Freedom of Money:
CZ grew up in rural China, in difficult yet pure conditions. How did that environment shape him? Where did he find the knowledge, the drive, the vision to become who he is today?
What does “Freedom of Money” truly mean from his perspective? What mindset, decisions, and principles guided him there? Can we all share his vision and perspective of it? And most importantly maybe, can Freedom of Money ever be reached - for real?
What obstacles did he face along the way, and how did he overcome them? Was it skepticism from others, harsh circumstances, or simply the lack of tools at the time?
Education has clearly played a huge role in his life. With Giggle Academy, what are his long-term plans for it? And how does it fit into his broader vision?
While he is widely respected, there are also critics. I’m curious to understand how he handles that—how he maintains clarity and focus despite the noise.
And of course, I’m especially interested in his perspective on major events in the crypto space (FTX Collapse, I am so really, genuinely curious if anything is mentioned regarding Justin and the hive-fork story... There is a chapter named 2020, but I wait until I reach it, I dont want to search now..)
In addition to the above..
- CZ has always seemed to have a unique ability to see ahead. Where does that come from? And how does he see the future now?
And maybe, beyond all these questions, what I truly expect to gain is something less tangible… but far more valuable.
A clearer mindset.
Because in the end maybe Freedom of Money is not just about wealth, crypto, or success. It’s about how you think, how you decide, and how you move forward—even when the path is uncertain.
I don’t expect this book to give me all the answers. But I do expect it to help me ask better questions.
And sometimes… that’s where real growth begins.
So this is just the beginning. A first step into understanding—not only CZ’s journey, but also my own, a little better.
I’ll be back when I turn the last page.
I know that CZ has played a secondary role in hive's history, and to be honest I have not read much about it. For a period of time my thoughts were mixed...
I would really like to know your opinion. Will you read the book? Do you have any queries that I can check out for you?
Have you seen the recent beef on X with the 1 billion of dollars bet?
If you dont know about it, I am sharing a synopsis below, provided to me by Grok (As I also had no idea what it referred to)
The below is copied from Grok - on X
Background: The Old Feud (2014–2015)The core issue dates back to when CZ worked at OKCoin (the predecessor to OKX). He helped bring in early Bitcoin investor Roger Ver for a deal involving the Bitcoin.com domain. OKCoin paid Ver monthly for its operation.After CZ left OKCoin, a contract dispute erupted. Two versions of the contract appeared: one with a six-month termination clause, and one without. OKCoin/Star Xu accused CZ of forging or altering the contract (sending version 7 first, then a modified version 8 with the extra clause). CZ and Roger Ver accused OKCoin of forging the modified version instead. This led to public accusations: CZ claimed OKCoin used bots to inflate trading volumes and manipulated proof-of-reserves audits. Roger Ver later sued OKCoin for ~$570,000. Star Xu has long maintained that evidence (including an old notarized video of QQ chat logs) proves CZ sent the two different versions.
CZ has always denied the forgery claims, calling them false or manipulated.
What the Book Says (What Reignited It)In Freedom of Money, CZ revisits his early career and frames the OKCoin era as part of broader FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) and sabotage attempts by competitors to slow down Binance's growth. He portrays the old disputes as rivals trying to undermine him.More explosively, the book includes a claim about the 2020 Chinese regulatory crackdown:CZ says Huobi founder Li Lin told him (at a 2025 dinner) that he saw evidence Star Xu personally reported him to Chinese police, leading to Li Lin's detention.
CZ also ties it to a pattern of "retaliation" or dirty tactics in the Chinese crypto scene at the time.
Star Xu's ResponseRight after the book dropped, Star Xu went on X and called CZ a "habitual liar" and accused him of spreading "purely false information."He:Revived the old contract forgery allegations and reposted old evidence (notarized video from ~12 years ago). Denied any involvement in reporting Li Lin. Questioned personal details in the book, including claiming CZ had been telling the public he was divorced when (according to Xu) he allegedly wasn't — and even brought up old claims about CZ using his (then) wife's family money for early Bitcoin purchases.
Xu pushed back hard on CZ "rewriting history."
The $1 Billion Bet Escalation (April 9, 2026)CZ responded directly on X:Confirmed he is "officially divorced" (way before the book). Said he respects his ex-wife's privacy and won't post legal documents publicly. Offered a permanent $1 billion bet (or any amount Star chooses) that he is divorced. Suggested lawyers could privately verify the divorce agreement. Gave Star 24 hours to accept, saying refusal would show who was misrepresenting facts.
Star Xu rejected the bet, citing: Compliance rules at OKX and UAE laws prohibiting gambling. Instead, he asked about whether CZ's Binance stake was properly separated in any divorce.
The exchange went viral, with millions of views. CZ said he's moving on to "better things," while the community largely saw CZ as coming out stronger in the optics war.
Current Status (as of April 11, 2026)It's a very public, personal, and decade-old rivalry between the founders of the two biggest crypto exchanges (Binance and OKX). No new hard evidence has emerged beyond what was already public years ago. The drama mixes business history (contract, FUD, 2020 crackdown) with personal attacks (divorce, family money). On X, Binance-leaning users mostly back CZ; others see it as classic crypto founder ego/drama. No resolution — just a lot of old receipts being reposted.
In short: The book reopened old wounds from the OKCoin days (especially the Roger Ver contract forgery dispute) and added fresh accusations about snitching in 2020. Star Xu hit back aggressively, leading to the dramatic $1B divorce bet that Star declined on compliance grounds.It's classic crypto beef — part legitimate historical disagreement, part personal.
CZ (Changpeng Zhao) was married to Yang Weiqing (also referred to as Winnie Yang in some reports).Key details:They met in 1999 and married in 2003. They have two children together. The divorce happened around 2005, when their eldest daughter was about two years old. This was long before Binance existed (Binance launched in 2017) and before CZ became wealthy in crypto.
CZ has publicly confirmed multiple times (including in response to the recent OKX drama) that he is officially divorced from her, and he has been for a long time. He has stated he respects her privacy and will not post the legal documents publicly, but he offered to have lawyers privately verify the divorce agreement.Current situation:CZ has been in a long-term relationship (described as "life partner") with Yi He (Binance co-founder and current co-CEO) since around 2014. They have three children together. In 2024 court sentencing letters (related to CZ's legal case), both Yang Weiqing (his ex-wife) and Yi He wrote supportive letters. Yang referred to their shared past and family, while Yi described their current family life.
The recent controversy with OKX's Star Xu (sparked by CZ's book Freedom of Money) questioned whether the divorce was fully finalized and properly handled (especially regarding any asset division like Binance shares). CZ pushed back strongly, confirming the divorce and offering the $1 billion bet.In short: His ex-wife is Yang Weiqing. The divorce occurred nearly 20 years ago, well before his Binance success.
https://www.panewslab.com/en/articles/019d757a-ed67-7643-b137-d770351af499
The book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GHL761FP?_encoding=UTF8&priceChange=1
My photos, gif and the ones in book created by my images + AI Some parts of the text are refined with AI, but all the text and points were originally written by me (except the part copied by grok, as stated above)
Estimated Payout
$10.63
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