Why Binance’ CZ Believes AI and Tokenization Will Transform Crypto in 2026

At the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, shared his perspective on the next stage of cryptocurrency adoption.

Speaking alongside executives from ING, BNY, and Primavera Capital, CZ highlighted that blockchain and AI are moving from experimental phases into practical financial applications.

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Tokenization and Crypto Payments Set to Expand

CZ believes that the tokenization of assets is a large growth area. Governments and institutions are exploring the use of tokenized securities, property, and commodities to unlock liquidity and provide new investment opportunities.

Through the tokenization of assets that were difficult to sell, new markets can be accessed by both individual and institutional investors.

The second trend that CZ discussed is the crypto-backed payment systems. Although the use of crypto for spending is still not widespread, the use of blockchain technology is increasing in the background.

Businesses receive cash, while consumers can make payments in crypto. This combination may bring a change in the way we make payments and reduce the need for traditional payment systems.

Binance’s Scale Validates Crypto Adoption

CZ also spoke about AI-based blockchain apps. Self-governing AI agents will soon be able to execute financial transactions and interact with smart contracts independently. This will make digital finance even faster and usher in a new wave of AI-friendly crypto users.

The global banks are watching. ING is experimenting with tokenized assets, and BNY is exploring blockchain settlements. CZ emphasized that the collaboration between traditional finance and crypto innovators will impact the speed at which this technology will spread.

Regulations such as MiCA in Europe and the SEC regulation in the U.S. are helping to shape how tokenization and AI finance can be done safely.

Binance supports this plan by having over 300 million users and trading volumes greater than many large stock exchanges. This data proves that people are actually using crypto for investment and payment purposes.

Why this matters

Investors, traders, and businesses should pay attention to the following trends in the blockchain industry: tokenization, crypto payments, and AI in blockchain, as these trends have the potential to shift market behavior, access to assets, and the speed of transactions.

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