CZ clarified that YZiLabs by no means invested in Hyperliquid, addressing rumors of Binance backing Jeff Yan.
Crypto Twitter reacted strongly, criticizing CZ’s tone whereas praising Jeff Yan’s achievements.
Hyperliquid, constructed by a 10-person group, now handles over 10% of worldwide crypto derivatives buying and selling.
Binance Founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao just lately stirred the crypto group with a tweet addressing Hyperliquid and its founder Jeff Yan.
The publish got here amid hypothesis that Hyperliquid is perhaps backed or funded by CZ, however after placing rumors to relaxation, it sparked energetic debate throughout crypto Twitter.
CZ’s Tweet Sparks Debate
CZ’s tweet was clear however struck some as unusually blunt.
He reminded the crypto group that Jeff Yan had been a part of YZiLabs’ first incubation cohort again in 2018, however added that the venture had failed and YZiLabs didn’t recoup any funding. He additionally admitted he had little interplay with Jeff and even missed a deliberate name earlier this 12 months as a result of a scheduling error.
Gossip tweet. Noticed a few posts on this subject:
In case you did not know, Jeff (HL) was a part of the YZiLabs (Binance Labs again then) incubation season 1 cohort in 2018. 🤣
Sadly, that venture failed. YZiLabs didn’t recoup any of its funding. It occurs.
I didn’t… https://t.co/zUVtjQ3RCO
— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) October 10, 2025
Regardless of all this, CZ ended on a supportive word: “Regardless, we help all builders!”
The response on crypto Twitter was fast. Many criticized the tone, calling it dismissive. One person mocked the message, saying it was “Insanely bitter… do you hear your self?”
Others, nonetheless, used the second to spotlight Jeff Yan’s accomplishments. As one commenter put it, “Respectfully CZ, credit score the place it’s due – Jeff principally set the usual for perp dexes. @HyperliquidX walked so the remainder may even begin jogging.”
The combo of criticism and reward set the stage for a deeper take a look at Jeff Yan and Hyperliquid’s rise.
Hyperliquid: Constructed by 10 Folks, Massive on Influence
Jeff Yan’s story is proof {that a} small group can transfer mountains. A Harvard-educated physicist and former high-frequency dealer, Yan began Hyperliquid with simply 10 folks, no enterprise capital, and no advertising and marketing.
His first crypto enterprise – a Layer 2 prediction market – failed as a result of regulatory points. He took the teachings, centered on customers, and constructed Hyperliquid, a customized blockchain able to 200,000 transactions per second with near-instant confirmations.
Increasing the Ecosystem
Jeff didn’t cease at constructing a quick trade.
Hyperliquid now hosts HyperEVM, HyperLend, and Felix protocols. Builders can freely create markets on the platform, and institutional gamers like Sonnet BioTherapeutics maintain important HYPE stakes.
