Did Binance’s CZ predict his own downfall?

cointelegraph.com:

Five years ago, you couldn’t trade with fiat currency on Binance, yet the exchange was already garnering international attention with the highest trading volumes among its competitors.

That’s no mean feat in the cryptocurrency industry, even in 2018, with several well-established exchanges commanding established and loyal user bases. Critics questioned why the world needed another exchange, but Changpeng “CZ” Zhao would not be deterred.

In June 2018, Cointelegraph had a one-on-one interview with CZ to discuss the meteoric growth of the global exchange. At the time, Binance only supported crypto-to-crypto trading, but a 50% fee discount facilitated by its native BNB (BNB) token had been a major drawcard for savvy traders.

Things are drastically different half a decade later. Binance has agreed to a $4.3 billion settlement with the United States government over civil regulatory enforcement actions against it. The U.S. civil case found that Binance’s policies allowed criminals involved in illicit activities to move “stolen funds” through its platform.

The judgment also led to Zhao’s resignation as CEO due to personal charges against the Binance founder for violating the Bank Secrecy Act. Zhao pleaded guilty and has been released on a $175 million bail bond.

Reflecting on that conversation in 2018, Zhao seemed acutely aware of the growing target on Binance’s proverbial back as its trading volume outpaced competitors.

Related: Binance $3.9B USDT move gains community attention amid DOJ settlement claims

The exchange had been scrutinized over the integrity of its trading volumes, a point that Zhao challenged. He claimed that Binance accurately accounted for its trading volumes, while other exchanges “double-reported” on the