Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has addressed speculation around his role with decentralized trading platform Aster. While confirming he serves as an advisor, Zhao rejected claims that he is part of the project’s team.
Confusion Over Zhao’s Involvement with Aster
The debate began after an X user claimed Zhao confirmed his participation in Aster’s team during a live Spaces session. The post, which also shared holdings of 300,000 ASTER tokens, set price targets based on the belief that Zhao’s involvement would boost the token. In response, Zhao clarified directly: “Not on the team, just an advisor.” He added that while Aster competes with Binance, it ultimately helps BNB, Binance’s native token.
I have no reason to sell any of my 300,000 $ASTER tokens
CZ today confirmed on X Spaces that he's a part of the $ASTER team
Buybacks are coming and $ASTER currently leads in Perp trading volume
My TP's are set to $40
— bolivian ($aster guy) (@_bolivian) September 28, 2025
Further, Zhao confirmed that some former Binance employees had joined Aster’s team. He also disclosed that his venture capital firm, YZi Labs, holds a minority stake in the platform. However, he emphasized that these ties do not amount to direct control or team membership. His correction came amid rising interest in Aster, whose token has surged over 7,000% since launch, reaching an all-time high of $2.41 on September 24.
The misinterpretation of Zhao’s comments added fuel to the market excitement around Aster. His congratulatory post during the token’s launch already generated strong visibility for the project. This dynamic raised concerns that investors were overstating his role, creating misleading expectations for ASTER’s future value. Zhao moved quickly to stop the speculation and distance himself from claims of active management or market manipulation.
Aster’s Rise and Impact on the Perpetual DEX Space
Aster has already gained traction in the decentralized perpetual trading industry, now one of the most competitive in crypto. The high debut and steep increase in price have attracted both institutional and retail investors who seek exposure to high-growth DeFi products. The speculative increases in the token are due to the general interest in decentralized exchanges over centralized ones.
In spite of the competition, Zhao emphasized that even with competitors, projects such as Aster may still have a positive impact on the entire crypto ecosystem, including the Binance BNB token. This assertion highlights the fact that he sees expansion on decentralized platforms as the key driver of general adoption that can be used to a positive effect in the market of Binance. His subtle positioning means that crypto competition is not necessarily zero-sum.
The only competition Aster has is Binance
Rest are disractions pic.twitter.com/wGsNBtSsmg
— Alex (@ShiLLin_ViLLian) September 27, 2025
Zhao also rejected the allegations of favouritism by Aster with regard to other players, such as Hyperliquid. He made it clear that he has a limited advisory status, which is how they indicated that Binance and its founder are open to innovation, but not to direct involvement in the competition with other firms. It is shown in the episode that there is a very thin line to that high-profile people tread in the crypto sphere, where a few words can shift the market and influence investor behavior almost immediately.
