- Binance and CZ own about 70% of BNB’s total supply.
- CZ’s crypto portfolio comprises 98.6% BNB.
- BNB reached a new all-time high above the $1,000 landmark.
BNB Chain ecosystem token BNB has come under scrutiny following revelations that the Binance cryptocurrency exchange and its co-founder, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), own about 70% of the cryptocurrency’s supply. A cryptocurrency analyst highlighted a snapshot from Grok, which reveals details about the centralization potential of Binance and Zhao over BNB.
Binance and CZ’s BNB holdings in numbers
A breakdown of their holdings reveals that Binance, as an entity, holds 32 million BNB, equivalent to 23% of the cryptocurrency’s total supply, which includes exchange reserves, liquidity provisions, and unallocated tokens for ecosystem incentives. Meanwhile, Binance’s Proof of Reserve snapshot in April 2025 showed net balances backing approximately 44 million BNB, against customer holdings of about 39.5 million, indicating substantial custodial control.
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In the meantime, Zhao held 89 million BNB, equivalent to approximately $91 billion as of mid-2025, which is about 64% of the cryptocurrency’s circulating supply. According to Forbes, Zhao’s BNB holdings comprise the renowned entrepreneur’s approximately 90% stake in Binance equity, in addition to a stash of BNB tokens. Meanwhile, Zhao disclosed last February that his crypto portfolio comprises 98.6% BNB, with 1.3% BTC.
BNB’s price surges despite centralized supply risks
Combining the Binance and Zhao BNB holdings, including team tokens, reveals a total of 97-99 million BNB, equivalent to 70-71% of the cryptocurrency’s total supply. This set includes team and founding allocations, which comprise 40% of the BNB initial ICO supply, equivalent to 80 million BNB, considering cryptocurrency’s original tokenomics. It also includes reserves for marketing, development, and burns, as revealed by on-chain data showing concentrated wallets tied to Binance entities.
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BNB’s price has continued to surge despite the highlighted centralization risks. TradingView’s data reveals that the cryptocurrency has broken above the $1,000 landmark amid significant bullish momentum. Binance surged over 10% within the past 48 hours to reach a record price of $1,087 following a slight pullback after the cryptocurrency tested the $1,000 milestone a few days ago.
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