Binance Labs Rebrands to YZiLabs

Binance Labs, the former investment arm of Binance and a key incubator for exchange technology, has rebranded as YZi Labs, marking a strategic expansion into artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology investments.

According to a 23 January announcement, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ), recently released from prison and now valued at $70 billion thanks to a Trump-driven crypto surge, will play an active role in mentoring startups within the incubator.

The rebranding transforms Binance Labs from an exchange-affiliated venture capital arm into the personal family office of CZ and Binance co-founder Yi He.

The transition follows Binance’s decision to spin off Binance Labs into an independent entity last year.

As part of the revamp, CZ has reinstated Ella Zhang, who originally helped establish Binance Labs in 2018, to lead the newly rebranded firm.

YZi Labs, a nod to the Binance co-founders' names, will now focus solely on managing the wealth of CZ and Yi He, with whom CZ shares three children.

YZi Labs plans to relaunch its 12-week in-person residency programme for project founders and expand beyond crypto into emerging sectors such as AI and biotech.

The firm is hiring specialists in these fields and aims to grow its current team of nine to around 20 members.

Investment plans include deploying checks ranging from $500,000 to $50 million, with a focus on both equity and liquid token investments.

Zhang added:

“A lot of founders will approach him naturally. So he will be a good sourcing contributor to the team.”

Despite the shift in focus, YZi Labs assures its existing portfolio companies of continued support and ongoing partnerships.

CZ will actively oversee investment decisions alongside Zhang on the investment committee.

The firm, which operates without a formal headquarters, believes it has sufficient funding for its operations without requiring additional capital from CZ.

As YZi Labs broadens its investment horizons, it positions itself as a leading global investor at the intersection of AI, blockchain, and biotechnology, signalling a significant evolution from its crypto-centric origins.

Binance Labs’ Dive into Decentralised Science Not Something New

Before rebranding to YZi Labs, Binance Labs had already been making strategic investments in decentralised science (DeSci) and AI-driven projects.

In August 2024, the firm announced funding for two AI startups aimed at advancing decentralised applications (dApps).

One of these, Sahara AI, empowers users to retain intellectual property rights through on-chain attribution while earning rewards for contributing to the platform’s infrastructure, knowledge base, and maintenance.

Another investment, MyShell, provides a platform for users to create and share AI-powered applications, further expanding accessibility in the Web3 space.

By November, Binance Labs extended its reach into DeSci with an investment in BIO Protocol, an accelerator dedicated to capital formation for biotechnologies.

BIO Protocol supports a network of decentralized autonomous organisations (DAOs) focused on developing pharmaceutical drugs and life-saving treatments.

This move underscores YZi Labs’ commitment to fostering innovation at the intersection of blockchain, AI, and biotechnology, positioning it as a catalyst for emerging technologies.

How Does Decentralised Science Come Into the Picture?

DeSci is revolutionising the way life-saving medical research is funded, offering a viable alternative for projects that struggle to attract traditional investment due to regulatory hurdles or limited profitability for major pharmaceutical companies.

By leveraging tokenised incentives, smart contracts, and DAOs, DeSci empowers researchers with innovative tools for capital formation, transparent attribution, on-chain peer review, and global collaboration.

While still in its early stages, DeSci is gradually gaining traction beyond the crypto sphere, drawing interest from a broader audience eager to explore its potential to reshape the future of scientific innovation.