Binance Labs to Rebrand, CZ Gets Personally Involved

• Binance Labs has announced that it will embark on a rebranding in 2025 and will focus its investments on crypto/blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology.
• In its annual breakdown, Binance Labs revealed that it invested in 46 projects in 2024, with 20% of the investment coming from BNB ecosystem projects.

Binance Labs has announced that there may be a rebranding in 2025 to change the name. According to the report, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao would lead and engage in investment projects.

In March 2024, it was announced that Binance Labs had quietly separated from the exchange and established itself as an independent entity. However, Binance Labs Chief Investment Officer Alex Odagio revealed that the new entity will continue to use the Binance brand under the licensing agreement. The excerpt from this announcement on the official website reads:

Binance Labs is an independent venture and is not part of Binance Group or involved in any business operated by Binance Group (including but not limited to Binance Cryptocurrency Exchange).

It is also important to note that CZ is permanently banned from participating in Binance leadership. However, the law allows him to focus on investments.

Reviewing a detailed thread posted on X, it was noted that the upcoming rebranding will not detract from the entity’s original goal. According to the announcement, they will continue to provide evergreen support for founders whose vision aligns with Binance Labs.

Giving an overview of its activities in 2024, Binance Labs indicated that it has invested in 46 projects. 14 projects came from the MVB program aimed at the BNB chain, while 32 were direct investments.

At Binance Labs (soon to be rebranded), we are laser-focused on the fundamentals, aiming for long-term performance. Going into 2025 and beyond, we will continue to provide ongoing support to founders who share our vision of building for the long haul. As we close out 2024, let’s review… — Binance Labs Fund (@BinanceLabs) December 31, 2024

Binance Labs Investment Overview

Throwing more light on the breakdown, it was revealed that 10 of the 46 projects that benefited from the investment program fall under Decentralized Finance (DeFi), as we previously reported.

Seven projects were found in the Bitcoin ecosystem, seven in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, four in Restaking, three in gaming and two in consumer applications. Apart from these, the remaining investments are focused on infrastructures ranging from security to wallets and chain abstraction. Projects in the Move and DeSci ecosystems have also benefited from the program, according to Binance Labs.

Additionally, the announcement highlighted that 20% of Binance Labs’ investment came from its BNB ecosystem projects. A portion of the investment has also been allocated to emerging ecosystems such as Monad and Initia and established networks such as Stacks, Celestia and Bittensor.

In 2025, key investment areas would be crypto/blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology. Also, there is an expectation that underperforming sectors, including gaming, ZK technologies and privacy solutions, could move from development to production.

As we move into 2025, the year of the forest snake, we foresee a dynamic phase for the industry. The Wood element symbolizes growth and creativity, suggesting a year ripe for innovation and development. The new Trump administration’s pro-crypto stance is expected to encourage a more favorable regulatory environment. This change is likely to drive institutional interest and investment in the crypto space, helping to mature the industry and establish a stronger foundation built on solid foundations.