Crypto Is Still Early, Binance’s CZ Says

Crypto Pioneer Zhao Sees Early Stages of Adoption, Predicts AI's Role in Future Transactions

In a recent discussion with Real Vision founder Raoul Pal, Changpeng Zhao, former CEO of Binance, shared his perspective on cryptocurrency's current landscape and future direction.

Zhao believes Bitcoin adoption at the national level remains in its infancy, with only a few countries actively exploring the concept. He attributed the recent market rally primarily to exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

While recognizing the challenge of forecasting market cycles, Zhao noted crypto's historical four-year pattern. He openly admitted that Binance's explosive growth caught even him by surprise.

"We got a lot of things wrong... We didn't expect the growth we had," Zhao stated, underscoring the industry's unpredictable nature.

The crypto veteran also reflected on the unexpected prominence of stablecoins and meme coins in today's market landscape.

Looking to the future, Zhao remains bullish on blockchain and AI convergence. He anticipates AI will generate exponentially more tokens than humans, stressing the importance of blockchain for secure, private data management.

Zhao forecasts an era of AI-to-AI transactions where cryptocurrency becomes the default payment method. "Economic engines will come from the AIs," he predicted, suggesting a fundamental shift in crypto's value drivers.

These insights underscore both the rapid evolution of digital assets and the transformative potential of emerging technologies like AI in reshaping financial systems.