Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, founder of Binance, said that assisting 100 million people in obtaining education through Giggle Academy would have a significant impact, and financial returns are not the primary concern. This statement was made during a podcast.
"I think if we can help 100 million people to get educated, I think that is a super impactful thing for me to do," said Zhao, according to YouTube. "I don't care if there's any returns."
Giggle Academy was launched in 2024 to address global gaps in foundational education, particularly for children in underserved regions such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where millions lack access to quality schooling. According to Giggle Academy's official whitepaper, the platform offers free, gamified K–12 courses in literacy, mathematics, science, and life skills. The initiative aims to democratize education through adaptive technology and creative learning tools. This effort is part of a growing international movement advocating tech-driven solutions to combat educational inequity, which has been accelerated by disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the 2025 Global Education Monitoring Report by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), approximately 272 million children and youth of school age remain out of school worldwide. Of these, 78 million are at the primary level, 64 million in lower secondary, and 130 million in upper secondary. The report highlights that factors such as poverty, armed conflict, gender discrimination, and forced displacement are significant barriers preventing access to education. Regions like sub-Saharan Africa and Afghanistan face some of the most severe challenges. These persistent obstacles threaten global progress toward universal and equitable education for all children as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals.
Zhao was born in Jiangsu, China, in 1977 and immigrated to Canada as a teenager. He later earned a degree in computer science from McGill University. After holding roles at Bloomberg Tradebook and Blockchain.info, he founded Binance in 2017. In 2024, according to Forbes, Zhao shifted his focus to philanthropy and education by founding Giggle Academy to expand free learning opportunities for underserved children worldwide.