CZ Rules Out Binance Return, Predicts Bitcoin $87,914 Supercycle in 2026
Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) says he's definitely sticking to his decision to step away from the crypto exchange...
Quick overview
- Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has confirmed he will not return to Binance despite receiving a pardon from President Trump and lifting of restrictions.
- Zhao believes stepping away from Binance was beneficial for both himself and the company, allowing new leaders to emerge.
- Binance continues to thrive under the leadership of Richard Teng and Yi He, boasting over 300 million users and $34 trillion in trading volume.
- Zhao predicts a potential Bitcoin supercycle within the next year due to increased global adoption and a more favorable regulatory environment in the US.
Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) says he’s definitely sticking to his decision to step away from the crypto exchange. Even after receiving a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump in October 2025 and the lifting of all previous restrictions, Zhao has no plans to return to Binance.
Talking to CNBC’s Squawk Box on Sunday, Zhao made it clear that the pardon might have cleared the legal hurdles, but he has no intention of returning. ” Honestly, I haven’t needed to go back to Binance. Nor did I want to. I thought stepping away after 7 years was actually a pretty good idea for both the company and me. At the time, it was tough, but you get used to it after a bit. I just don’t think this is the right time for me to go back. I think Binance should give some other leaders a chance to develop.”
Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to a charge of not doing a good enough job of stopping Money Laundering at Binance – and as a result got a 4-month jail sentence and a chin strap to keep him out of Binance for a while. His pardon from Trump raised some eyebrows among us lawyers in the States, particularly because Trump has links to some crypto ventures that are connected to Binance. Trump, however, said he’d never even met Zhao.
Binance is Doing Just Fine on its own
Zhao reckons Binance is just fine without him at the helm; it’s in good hands with Richard Teng and Yi He, with whom he’s worked for a long time.
Some pretty key numbers from a letter to customers in December 2025:
- User base is now over 300 million.
- Trading volume has hit $34 trillion.
“I’m still a Binance shareholder – but I’m not really very involved in a hands-on way anymore. When I want to pipe up, I just put my thoughts on Twitter.”
Fuck Binance 😂He's been trying to push it down all day… now it has to rebound, or if it loses the low at 86/85800, it will go and take liquidity close to 85/84500 $BTC pic.twitter.com/92B4rKAROW
— EliZ (@eliz883) January 25, 2026
Zhao’s comments pretty much show he’s taking a step back, letting others make decisions while Binance keeps growing.
Bitcoin Supercycle is Just Around the Corner
Even though the crypto market is feeling pretty flat right now, Zhao predicts Bitcoin could enter a supercycle by the end of next year.
- Current Bitcoin price is $87,914
- He thinks the old 4-year cycle might not hold
- Increased global adoption and, in the US, a more friendly approach to crypto could really drive the price way up.
“Normally, Bitcoin goes through these cycles every 4 years: a massive price peak, then a crash” , Zhao said. “But this year I think we might see a different pattern: Because the US is really embracing crypto and lots of other countries are following suit, I reckon we might see a supercycle happen within the next 12 months or so.”
A supercycle, according to CoinMarketCap, is a long-term growth pattern based on solid fundamentals that signals a major shift in market behaviour.
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