Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of the crypto exchange Binance, has reinforced his stance that he's a fan of major cryptocurrencies like XRP, Zcash (ZEC), and Solana (SOL). It's in the wake of a controversy arising over Solana's aggressive attempts to expand in China.
The former Binance CEO made it known in a recent post on X that he's a fan of blockchain adoption irrespective of the cryptocurrency or network.
"I'm always supportive of any blockchain making any progress in any country," CZ said.
He listed Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), BNB, XRP, SOL, HYPE, ZEC, SIGN, and stablecoins as the digital assets that he's bullish on.
The comments came as Solana's ambitious move to expand in Shanghai hit an unforeseen roadblock, with speculation that CZ's previous public statements may have led to the current controversy.
CZ reacts to Solana controversy in China
Solana became a topic of interest early this week after it made public its new office in Shanghai, in addition to its massive advertising campaign in the city.
CZ at first showed excitement over the development. He implied that Solana's advertisement and physical presence in Shanghai could be a gateway for other blockchain projects.
Furthermore, CZ pointed out that developments like this might be a sign that China could be loosening its crypto restrictions.
However, things didn't quite go as planned, as Solana's planned event at Shanghai's Shangri-La Hotel was postponed on October 16.
It was reported that people at the event found themselves facing law enforcement authorities. The organizers, on the other hand, said that the event was postponed due to logistical reasons. Solana Foundation's President, Lily Liu, later shared that there was a sudden 4x spike in registrations, which exceeded the number of people they had filed with local authorities to attend.
The event led some people on social media to speculate that CZ's previous comments on Solana's expansion may have caught the attention of the Chinese authorities.
CZ, however, denied those claims. He pointed out that in Shanghai, the Solana advertisement on a building was taken down reportedly within 10 minutes.
He reiterated that his post on X couldn't have led to the advertisement being pulled down, as he became aware of the advertisement only 12 to 24 hours after it was already out there.
Arman Shirinyan
Dan Burgin
