Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao Addresses Speculations, Affirms US Executive is ‘Taking a Deserved Break’

Although Brian Shroder’s resignation as CEO of Binance’s U.S. division occurred amidst SEC and CFTC legal actions, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao asserted that the departure was routine.

Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has dispelled rumours regarding the departure of Binance.US CEO Brian Shroder, explaining that Shroder is simply “taking a deserved break” following a successful tenure with the company.

We did an article on the continuation of departures here. 

Binance.US, a subsidiary of Binance Holdings, has recently witnessed several other high-ranking executives stepping down amid legal actions initiated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

In a statement dated September 15, CZ conveyed via X that people should disregard any baseless fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) surrounding the recent executive changes. He suggested that Shroder was leaving the company on amicable terms after accomplishing the objectives he had set out to achieve when he joined two years ago.

“Under his leadership, Binance.US raised capital, improved its product and service offerings, solidified internal processes, and gained significant market share, all of which helped to build a more resilient company for the benefit of customers. We are grateful for his contributions,” CZ stated.

There has been some speculation regarding recent management changes at @BinanceUS. Brian Shroder is taking a deserved break after accomplishing what he set out to do when he joined two years ago. Under his leadership, https://t.co/hSHrrlF7o7 raised capital, improved its product…

— CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) September 15, 2023

Binance currently faces legal actions from both the SEC and CFTC for alleged violations of their respective laws. These alleged violations encompass issues such as the sale of unregistered securities and mishandling of customer funds. Notably, the SEC’s lawsuit claims that Binance’s U.S. and international branches unlawfully mingled funds.

In the midst of these legal challenges, Binance.US made an announcement on September 13, disclosing that it would be reducing its workforce by one-third and that Brian Shroder would step down from his role as CEO. On September 14, two more executives, Krishna Juvvadi, head of legal, and Sidney Majalya, chief risk officer, also chose to depart from the company. These departures have spurred speculation on X that Binance might be facing more severe legal complications than previously thought.

Binance, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has attracted increasing scrutiny, particularly following the insolvency of the third-largest exchange, FTX, in November 2022, and the subsequent fraud charges against FTX executives. Critics argue that Binance has not been transparent enough about its operational practices and financial stability. However, CZ has dismissed these concerns, asserting that the company faces no liquidity issues and that allegations against it lack merit.

In a post on X, CZ appeared to allude to the ongoing lawsuits and the evolving regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency firms. He emphasised that the crypto market has evolved significantly over the past two years and is now confronting a more adversarial regulatory environment. In his opinion, Norman Reed, the new CEO of Binance.US, is the right leader to guide the U.S. exchange through this new era.

Norman Reed formerly served as Ripple’s General Counsel. He is signatory to the 2015 FinCEN DOJ agreement with Ripple, wherein XRP was categorised as a “convertible virtual currency.”