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Changpeng Zhao Proposes $1 Billion Bet to OKX CEO Over Divorce Dispute

Nana K.

10 April 2026 Updated 12 April 2026 3 min read

OKX CEO Star Xu publicly questioned Zhao’s marital status.

On April 8, 2026, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) released his memoir “Freedom of Money.” In it, he discussed the exchange’s founding, regulatory challenges, and the evolution of the global financial system. He also described his journey in the crypto industry, key growth stages of Binance, and interactions with other market participants.

Changpeng Zhao’s Memoir, "Freedom of Money." Source: Amazon. — Changpeng Zhao’s Memoir, “Freedom of Money.” Source: Amazon.

After the book’s release, a new public conflict erupted. OKX CEO Star Xu accused Zhao of lying, including about his marital status. In response, Zhao proposed a $1 billion bet to prove he is officially divorced.

Contents

1.CZ's Reaction and Bet Proposal
2.A Decade-Long War Between CZ and Star Xu

CZ’s Reaction and Bet Proposal

Zhao responded on X, confirming his divorce and proposing an open-ended $1 billion wager. He emphasized he would not publicly release legal documents out of respect for his ex-wife’s privacy. However, he offered to provide them to lawyers for verification if Xu accepts the challenge.

I typically ignore all these false claims attacks. But…

You can apologize now. I am officially divorced.

I won't post any legal docs online, as I respect privacy of my ex-wife, and I appreciate the time we spent together.

I am happy to bet $1 billion USD (or any number you… https://t.co/G9GAl6nMqL
— CZ 🔶 BNB▲$603.56 (@cz_binance) April 9, 2026

Xu declined the offer, noting that as CEO of a regulated company, he cannot participate in such public wagers. He also reminded that gambling is prohibited for UAE citizens, where OKX is registered.

Both OKX and Binance are regulated by multiple regulators. As the UBO of a regulated company, publicly offering a $1 billion bet is hardly professional conduct. I would be curious whether Binance’s regulators consider that acceptable.

As for whether you have misled the public… https://t.co/6tguzmHFwb
— Star_OKX (@star_okx) April 9, 2026

A Decade-Long War Between CZ and Star Xu

The divorce dispute is merely the latest chapter in a long-standing feud dating back to 2014. At that time, Zhao served as CTO at OKCoin, the predecessor of OKX. Since then, conflicts have repeatedly erupted over business equity, a bitcoin (BTC) domain contract, and allegations of document forgery.

In his memoir, Zhao claims that Huobi founder Li Lin told him in 2025 that Xu had reported him to Chinese authorities. Xu categorically denies this claim.

Xu also criticized Zhao’s explanations regarding the use of QQ messenger accounts, calling them implausible. He questioned the consistency of Zhao’s marital status description between the book and media reports. He even drew regulators’ attention, asking whether Zhao’s Binance stake was legally divided with his ex-wife.

Both OKX and Binance are regulated by multiple regulators. As the UBO of a regulated company, publicly offering a $1 billion bet is hardly professional conduct. I would be curious whether Binance’s regulators consider that acceptable.

As for whether you have misled the public… https://t.co/6tguzmHFwb
— Star_OKX (@star_okx) April 9, 2026

Zhao and his current spouse, Binance co-CEO Yi He, have three children together. Zhao has five children in total, two of whom were born in a previous marriage. Yi He, a long-time partner of Zhao and Binance’s second-largest shareholder, also publicly defended herself, emphasizing her status and contribution to the company’s growth.