Changpeng Zhao, founder of the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, predicted that cryptocurrency will become the default currency for artificial intelligence agents during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Speaking alongside executives from ING Group, BNY Mellon, and Primavera Capital Group, CZ outlined his vision for how blockchain technology and AI will converge to transform the global financial landscape. AI Agents Will Transact in Crypto CZ identified artificial intelligence as one of three emerging sectors poised to fundamentally reshape finance. The native currency of AI agents will be cryptocurrency, CZ said. Blockchain will become the most natural technical interface for AI agents. He acknowledged that current AI technology remains limited in practical applications. Todays AI still falls far short of intelligent agencyit cant book your flight or pay for your lunch, he noted. But once it reaches that level, all payments will flow through cryptocurrency. BINANCE FOUNDER CZ JUST SAID LIVE IN DEVOS THAT AI WILL USE CRYPTO FOR PAYMENTS NOT BANK CARDSITS COMING pic.twitter.com/oY7zoTyiHK Vivek Sen (@Vivek4real_) January 22, 2026 The prediction reflects growing industry interest in the intersection of AI and blockchain, as autonomous systems increasingly require seamless, programmable payment infrastructure. Tokenization and Payments Round Out Top Three Beyond AI, CZ pointed to tokenization and payments as major growth areas. On tokenization, he revealed active engagement with multiple governments. Im currently in discussions with over a dozen governments on asset tokenization strategies, where governments can generate early financial returns and catalyze upgrades across mining, trading, and other sectors, he said. Payments, however, remain an unsolved challenge. Weve tried, but havent yet cracked it, CZ admitted. To be precise, cryptocurrencies havent meaningfully entered the payments space. Still, he sees progress in hybrid solutions that combine traditional payment rails with crypto infrastructureconsumers swipe cards while crypto is deducted from their wallets, and merchants receive fiat settlement. Once those bridges are built, payments will undergo a major transformation, he predicted. Binance by the Numbers CZ provided context on Binances current scale, highlighting metrics that underscore cryptos mainstream arrival. The exchange serves 300 million users globallya figure CZ noted likely makes it larger than any bank I know of. Trading volume not only surpassed that of the Shanghai Stock Exchange but also exceeded that of the New York Stock Exchange last year. He also pointed to the platforms resilience during market stress. In December 2023, following the FTX collapse and other industry turmoil, Binance processed $7 billion in single-day withdrawals without disruption. Total withdrawals that week reached $14 billion while the platform remained fully operational. In the banking system, Im unaware of any bank capable of withstanding withdrawals of that magnitude, CZ said, attributing the difference to cryptos full-reserve model versus traditional fractional-reserve banking. What Wont Survive CZ also offered candid assessments of what may not last. Bitcoin payments, despite a decade of effort, have shown little progress. If youd asked me this question ten years ago, Id have said Bitcoin payments. But today, a decade later, were still nowhere close, he said. Memecoins face similar skepticism. I have a strong hunch memes may follow a similar trajectory to NFTs, which exploded in popularityand then faded dramatically. While culturally resonant projects like Dogecoin may persist, I believe most memecoins wont last. Physical bank branches also face decline. Demand for physical bank branches will decline sharply, CZ predicted, citing the maturation of electronic KYC and digital financial services. Regulatory Landscape On regulation, CZ noted that crypto rules vary dramatically worldwide. Binance holds 22-23 licenses globally, yet most countries still lack formal frameworks. He advocated for regulatory passports that recognize licenses granted in one jurisdiction by othersa more achievable step than creating new global regulators. Crypto is fundamentally the same everywhere. We shouldnt need to adapt it per jurisdiction, he said.
#WEFDavos2026 #TrumpCancelsEUTariffThreat #WhoIsNextFedChair #TrumpTariffsOnEurope #GoldSilverAtRecordHighs