Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao, who goes by CZ, has introduced a new feature called “Pay to Reach,” allowing users to send direct messages to him for a guaranteed response—but for a price.
The initiative, first floated by CZ in a Binance Square post early this month, seeks to address the overwhelming number of messages he receives daily. In theory, he says it will allow him to streamline communication and reduce spam.
The “Pay to Reach” system, launched early hours of the morning, enables users to message CZ and other Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) directly through the platform ReachMe.io.
The service does not require sign-up and uses Binance’s BNB token as the currency for the transaction.
Initially, CZ set the price at 0.04 BNB, increased it to 0.1 BNB, and later adjusted it again to 0.2 BNB after being flooded with irrelevant and low-effort messages.
“I was spammed at the initial price,” CZ shared in the announcement tweet. “Please don’t waste your money like that.”
“I will adjust the price to try to hit a sweet spot of about 10 messages per day,” CZ noted.
Users who pay the fee are guaranteed a response from CZ within five days. If no response is received, users will be refunded 50% of the fee.
The feature has already attracted nearly 70 key opinion leaders, or KOLs, who have set their own message prices between 0.01 to 0.2 BNB.
The growing network of KOLs could further validate the Pay to Reach model, offering a new avenue for monetizing digital interactions.
Moreover, CZ has pledged that all the BNB he receives through this feature will be donated to charity. In his original Binance Square post, CZ explained the motivation behind the Pay to Reach concept, stating that the idea came from a desire to optimize reach rather than time.
He mentioned that social media platforms such as LinkedIn and X, formerly Twitter, offer similar features, but with low barriers to entry, resulting in an influx of spam.
However, the messaging model raises questions about accessibility, as those unable to afford the fees may be excluded from communicating with high-profile personalities in the crypto industry.
While this new system encourages serious and efficient communication, it also commercializes traditionally free interactions.
Since CZ’s announcement, ReachMe.io has reminded users that it does not have an official token and has warned traders to avoid any tokens claiming affiliation with the platform.
Following the launch of the Pay to Reach feature, BNB saw a 0.6% increase in value, per CoinGecko data, demonstrating the power these figures have on crypto prices. The BNB price has since retraced and is trading for $625.51—0.4% lower than it was this time yesterday, according to CoinGecko data.
Edited by Stacy Elliott.
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