CZ Says Crypto Adoption and AI-Driven Blockchain Economy Are Just Beginning

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), former CEO of Binance, believes the cryptocurrency industry is still in its early stages, with nation-level Bitcoin adoption just beginning. Speaking with Real Vision founder Raoul Pal, CZ shared that only a few governments have initiated direct discussions with him, signaling the infancy of large-scale adoption.

According to CZ, the recent crypto bull run is primarily fueled by the rise of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), not by widespread institutional or governmental use. Reflecting on market trends, he emphasized the difficulty in timing crypto cycles, which traditionally follow four-year patterns but remain unpredictable in length and intensity.

CZ also acknowledged that Binance underestimated the scale and speed of its growth, admitting the exchange was caught off guard by the popularity of stablecoins and meme coins. Despite past misjudgments, he maintains that blockchain and artificial intelligence are long-term certainties in the tech landscape.

During the interview, CZ highlighted the intersection of crypto and AI, predicting that AI systems will one day issue and manage tokens at a scale far beyond human capacity. He stressed that AI requires vast datasets for training, which should be recorded on blockchain for privacy and transparency. As AI agents begin transacting with each other, CZ asserted that cryptocurrencies will be the default medium of exchange, enabling an entirely new machine-driven economy. “We may not be the profit drivers anymore. Economic engines will come from the AIs,” he concluded.

By linking crypto’s future with AI and blockchain infrastructure, CZ paints a vision where digital assets play a central role in tomorrow’s autonomous financial systems. His insights suggest that while mainstream adoption is underway, the true potential of crypto is still on the horizon.