YZi Labs, previously known as Binance Labs, has announced a massive $1 billion funding initiative dedicated to projects building on the BNB Chain. The investment firm, which rebranded from Binance's venture capital division last year, is focusing on BNB-based projects across multiple sectors including decentralized finance (DeFi), artificial intelligence (AI), real-world assets (RWA), trading platforms, and wallet solutions.
According to the official announcement made on X, YZi Labs aims to establish the BNB ecosystem as a foundational layer for "democratized access and ownership, AI to enhance human potential, and biotech to improve quality of life."
Ella Zhang, Head of YZi Labs, stated: "Through this $1B BNB Builder Fund, we're committed to supporting BNB builders across various sectors including DeFi, AI, RWA, DeSci, and beyond - those developing the next generation of open systems that connect technology back to human progress."
The announcement follows Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao's increased involvement in the company's venture capital operations after his release from prison last year. YZi Labs, often described as Zhao's family office, emphasizes that its structure differs from traditional family offices as it doesn't engage in estate planning or tax structuring activities.