TechFlow News, on February 28, Binance founder Zhao Changpeng (CZ) was invited to join Vana's Twitter Space event titled "Live with CZ: YZi Labs bets on AI & a New Era of Data Ownership," where he shared his views on the convergence of AI and crypto.
Discussing what excites him about the intersection of blockchain and AI, CZ said: "AI is a foundational technology that isn't going away, with broad applications that are only just beginning. The intersection between cryptocurrency and AI is strong. First, cryptocurrency will become the native currency for AI. Second, data is the fuel for AI. Public data has been largely exhausted, but there remains a vast amount of untapped private data."
Meanwhile, CZ also elaborated on YZi Labs' rationale for investing in Vana: Vana’s robust existing product, growing user base demonstrating strong product-market fit (PMF), and outstanding founding team were key factors attracting YZi Labs.
Previously, on January 23, 2025, Binance Labs rebranded as YZi Labs, with CZ participating in investment activities by offering one-on-one mentorship and strategic advice to founders. On February 24, 2025, YZi Labs invested in Vana, an AI-focused crypto startup, marking YZi Labs’ first AI investment since its rebranding. CZ will join Vana as an advisor.
Notably, the Vana protocol was co-developed by the Vana Foundation and Open Data Labs, enabling users to contribute their private data on-chain to help build future AI projects, thereby transforming data into a new class of valuable assets. DataDAOs on Vana function like labor unions for data, allowing users to pool their data collectively. Existing DataDAOs include automotive data, Reddit data, health data, email data, Google location data, Spotify data, and more.
