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YZi’s Push To Turn BNB Into The Hub For AI, RWAs, And DeFi
According to the Wednesday announcement on X, the billion-dollar fund will target BNB-based projects in DeFi, artificial intelligence (AI), real-world assets (RWAs), decentralized science (DeSci), payments, and wallets.
YZI Labs said the initiative is intended to make the BNB ecosystem the backbone of “democratized access and ownership, AI to enhance human potential, and biotech to improve quality of life.”
“Through this $1B BNB Builder Fund, YZi Labs is committed to supporting BNB builders across sectors such as DeFi, AI, RWA, DeSci, and more — those building the next generation of open systems that connect technology back to human progress,” Ella Zhang, Head of YZi Labs, stated.
The fund will pair capital with tools, integrations, and access to what the firm calls a 460 million–user ecosystem. Early-stage builders can secure up to $500,000 in funding, alongside direct access to YZi and BNB core teams and a global mentor network.
 
As part of the funding, BNB Chain’s flagship accelerator, Most Valuable Builder (MVB), will operate under YZi Labs’ Easy Residency global incubation program with hubs in New York, San Francisco, Dubai, and Singapore as a dedicated track for BNB builders.
YZi Labs: CZ And Yi He’s Family Office
Following the release of ex-Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, aka “CZ,” from prison last year after serving a four-month sentence on money laundering charges, he adopted a more active role in the company’s venture capital arm, rebranded YZi Labs, to target startups in Web3, AI, and biotech.
YZi Labs, formerly Binance Labs, has played a vital role in strengthening momentum in the BNB ecosystem, funding multiple projects, including Binance-linked decentralized exchange (DEX) PancakeSwap.
While YZi Labs boasts over $10 billion in assets as a global venture capital platform, the firm also reportedly manages billions in assets for Binance co-founders CZ and Yi He, a report from Bloomberg revealed back in January.
Although YZi denied functioning as a family office in January, Zhang had previously reportedly asserted that YZi had been turned into “purely a family office investment vehicle.”
Amid BNB printing fresh lifetime highs above $1,330, CZ’s personal wealth from BNB exposure has grown by billions. With BNB’s market cap hitting a record $185 billion on Tuesday, CZ may hold approximately $116 billion in the token, as previous reports indicated that he held at least 64% of the BNB circulating supply as of June 2024.