CZ Memoir Sparks Renewed Conflict with OKX Founder Star Xu

The publication of 'Freedom of Money,' a memoir by Binance founder Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, has triggered a public clash with OKX founder Star Xu. Xu has utilized social media to label Zhao a 'habitual liar,' disputing several claims made in the book regarding their shared professional history and past disputes. The conflict centers largely on a 2014 contract dispute at OKCoin involving Roger Ver. Xu alleges that Zhao forged contract documents, citing a notarized video from 2015 that purportedly shows two different versions of a Bitcoin.com agreement. Zhao's memoir, conversely, frames these events as coordinated 'FUD' (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) campaigns designed to hinder Binance's rise during its early stages. Furthermore, the memoir revisits the October 2020 incident where OKX paused customer withdrawals for five weeks. Zhao suggests that Xu's sole control over exchange wallets led to the freeze during a period of 'soft arrest' in China, contrasting this with Huobi's operational continuity during a similar period of leadership detention. While the dispute provides insight into the early power struggles of the cryptocurrency exchange landscape, it remains a clash of personal narratives. A spokesperson for Zhao stated that while the book touches on past events, it is intended to reflect his personal perspective rather than serve as an investigative piece on legacy disputes.