CZ Flags AI-Generated Fake Account Behind Binance FUD

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the founder of Binance, has publicly identified and dismantled a coordinated misinformation campaign against him and the exchange. CZ exposed a long-running fake account that apparently used AI-generated images to pose as a loyal supporter before posting critical “feedback.” The Unraveling of a Fake Supporter The incident began when CZ noticed a post from an account named “Wei 威 BNB” claiming to close a Binance account due to alleged manipulation. The account had 863,000 followers and used imagery from a BNB Chain event, making it appear legitimate. However, the former Binance CEO said that concerns about the account’s veracity emerged after some close inspection. For starters, the account, which had blocked him, had posted several images purportedly featuring Zhao posing with the user, all of which appeared altered. One photo showed Zhao wearing a shirt in a color he said he does not own, while another mixed low-resolution images of him and Binance executive Yi He with a sharper image of the account holder. CZ claimed the original photo featured Aster CEO Leonard. He also claimed the account history suggested it either changed hands or was compromised years ago. The account’s history shows it originally belonged to a woman and posted exclusively female photos until July 2015, when it abruptly switched to crypto-only content without removing earlier material. “Either a hacked takeover or bought,” CZ wrote. He criticized the campaign as “lazy” and suggested it was likely orchestrated by a “self-perceived” competitor more focused on Binance than its own business. Influencer ShirleyXBT also noted the account’s profile picture was an artificial copy of her own photo. Community Backing and a Pattern of Scrutiny The exposure drew some support from the crypto community, with World of Dypians CEO Teki thanking CZ for the clarification and admitting the initial post had briefly seemed believable. Commentator Vegas offered a broader analysis, suggestin...