CZ Predicts Crypto Will Become Invisible Infrastructure by 2031 as On-Chain Users Hit 559 Million

Quick overview

Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) reckons cryptocurrency will pretty much go mainstream within five years – that is, the average bloke and bloke will use it just as freely as they use the internet these days without giving a second thought about the underlying tech.

In an episode of his Wolf of All Streets podcast, Scott Melker, that went live April 9-10, 2026 , CZ made the point that the conversation really needs to shift away from technical nitty-gritty about blockchain and onto how crypto is making a difference in the real world. This ‘invisibility’ – a lack of people talking about it – is what he reckons will be the ultimate indicator of success.

Why CZ Thinks We’re Just One Cycle Away

Zhao puts it fairly simply : successful technologies eventually just sort themselves out & become an invisible part of the background of our lives . Nobody spends their time talking about the tech that lets them send emails or stream Netflix – that just all happens automatically now. He reckons crypto & blockchain are getting to that same crossroads.

It’s worth noting that his timing adds to the weight of what he’s saying. CZ was released from a US prison in September 2024 after serving a four-month sentence & received a full pardon from the President in October 2025. Since then his focus has shifted from the short-term price of crypto onto long-term adoption.

CZ says his goal for the next 5 years is for people to "stop talking about crypto and just use it."

Speaking on The Wolf of All Streets, the Binance founder argued that blockchain should become like the internet, a technology that is used universally but no longer discussed as… pic.twitter.com/THHlDbIYE6

— Conor Kenny (@conorfkenny) April 10, 2026

And there’s some data to back what he’s saying up :

• So back in 2026, an estimated 559 million people were using crypto (DemandSage)
• ARK Invest reckon that digital assets could flourish into a $28 trillion market by 2030
• Tether co-founder Reeve Collins is of the belief that by the same time frame, all traditional currencies will have moved over to stablecoins
• And Chainalysis is forecasting that stablecoin volumes could hit a massive $1.5 quadrillion by 2035

AI Is Going to Spice Up Adoption

Now, CZ also reckons that AI is going to give crypto adoption a massive boost as well. With AI we’re going to be able to do a lot of the heavy lifting behind the scenes on blockchain development and enable autonomous AI agents to execute on-chain transactions, manage positions & interact with smart contracts.

He believes blockchain is going to become an essential bit of infrastructure for the coming AI economy, not just a sideline to traditional finance. And interestingly, he’d previously advised AI developers to focus on making something useful rather than just launching a token as a way of raising funds.

Geopolitical Stakes

Zhao made the point that blockchain & AI (and of course the internet itself) are the three technologies that are going to shape our world. Countries that don’t take them seriously risk falling behind economically.

Take these examples :

• Switzerland comes out on top as the most crypto-friendly country (Signzy, January 2026)
• The US is currently leading the way in terms of AI infrastructure & frontier models
• The UAE is out in front in terms of actual AI usage

ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More

Arslan Butt

Lead Markets Analyst – Multi-Asset (FX, Commodities, Crypto)

Arslan Butt serves as the Lead Commodities and Indices Analyst, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field. With an MBA in Behavioral Finance and active progress towards a Ph.D., Arslan possesses a deep understanding of market dynamics. His professional journey includes a significant role as a senior analyst at a leading brokerage firm, complementing his extensive experience as a market analyst and day trader. Adept in educating others, Arslan has a commendable track record as an instructor and public speaker. His incisive analyses, particularly within the realms of cryptocurrency and forex markets, are showcased across esteemed financial publications such as ForexCrunch, InsideBitcoins, and EconomyWatch, solidifying his reputation in the financial community.

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