CZ Spots AI-Generated Fake Account Behind Binance FUD

CZ exposed a long-running fake account using AI-generated images to pose as a Binance supporter before spreading BNB-related FUD.

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the founder of Binance, has publicly identified and dismantled a coordinated disinformation 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 false supporter

The incident started when CZ noted a message 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 images from a BNB Chain event, making it appear legitimate.

However, Binance’s former CEO said that upon closer inspection, concerns arose about the veracity of the account. For starters, the account that had blocked him had posted several images of Zhao supposedly posing with the user, all of which appeared to have been changed.

One photo showed Zhao wearing a shirt in a color he said he does not own, while another low-resolution photo of him and Binance CEO Yi He showed a sharper image of the account holder. CZ claimed that the original photo showed Leonard, CEO of Aster.

He also claimed that the account history suggested it had changed hands or been compromised years ago. The account’s history shows that it was originally owned by a woman and posted exclusively female photos until July 2015, when it abruptly switched to crypto content only without removing previous 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 who was more focused on Binance than his own company.

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Influencer ShirleyXBT also noted that the account’s profile photo was an artificial copy of her own photo.

Community support and a pattern of control

The fame received some support from the crypto community, with Teki, CEO of World of Dypians thank you CZ for clarifying and admitting the first post seemed equally credible.

Commentator Vegas offered a broader analysis, which suggests that attackers can be divided into three categories: opportunists involved in agriculture, genuinely frustrated traders and organized FUD campaigns. They also claimed that they received a payment to spread negative sentiment about Binance, implying possible coordination by major market players or direct competitors.

This latest revelation comes amid ongoing investigations into CZ and Binance. On January 28, the crypto entrepreneur faced backlash for allegedly promoting harmful market behavior after advocating a buy-and-hold investment strategy, forcing him to clarify that his advice was personal and not applicable to every token.

Additionally, Binance announced on January 30 that it would convert the $1 billion in its SAFU insurance fund from stablecoins to Bitcoin, a move that some commentators saw as a bullish signal but which also continued to focus on the exchange’s financial strategies.

Despite the criticism, Binance’s market position is still quite strong, with data shared by CryptoQuant at the start of the year showing the exchange capturing 41% of spot trading volume and 42% of Bitcoin perpetual futures volume among the top platforms in 2025.