CZ talks about his prison experience: serving time brings fear and pressure, and he will publish a new book discussing life in confinement.

On May 6, Decrypt reported that CEX founder CZ admitted during an interview with Rug Radio that his experience of serving four months in prison in the U.S. was “extremely difficult” and “terrifying,” and that he “would not wish that on anyone.” However, this experience also made him realize the importance of health and family. He recalled feeling intense unease and fear when he first entered prison, faced with tattooed, loud, bulky inmates. His cellmate had been sentenced to 30 years for double murder, but the two got along fairly well. Due to his non-U.S. citizenship, he was unable to enter a minimum-security prison and was sent to a low-security facility. Despite being the founder of CEX and having a billion-dollar fortune, his peers in prison did not treat him differently. CZ stated that many of his fellow inmates were very friendly, and he still keeps in touch with several of them. The hardest part for him was the mental pressure—worrying that his sentence might be unexpectedly extended. He pointed out that many friends in prison faced similar fates. This experience led him to reevaluate life, “Health is the most important, followed by family, then work and other things.” CZ also revealed that he will publish a new book detailing this period of incarceration.