Crypto's Next Big Thing? Billionaire Mogul Changpeng Zhao Shortlists These 3 Emerging Trends

Binance (CRYPTO: BNB) founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao recently shared his excitement about three emerging narratives in the cryptocurrency space.

Tokenization: The Next ‘Huge’ Things In Crypto?

During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos last Thursday, Zhao called real-world asset tokenization a “huge” opportunity.

“I’m talking with probably a dozen governments about tokenizing some of their assets because this way the government can actually realize the financial gains first and use that to develop those industries,” the cryptocurrency billionaire said.

There has indeed been an accelerating industry-wide shift toward tokenization. Last week, the New York Stock Exchange said it will develop a platform for the trade and on-chain settlement of tokenized U.S.-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds, with 24/7 operations and instant settlement. Nasdaq previously submitted a filing to the SEC in this regard.

That said, the sector still awaits regulatory greenlight. A clause prohibiting on-chain versions of stocks and other real-world assets in the crypto market structure bill threatens to derail the progress of the legislation.

The ‘Unconquered’ Payments Landscape

Secondly, CZ expressed optimism about the future of cryptocurrency payments, which he noted has yet to be “conquered.”

“I think now we’re seeing the convergence of traditional payment methods being on behind the scenes, being supported by crypto,” CZ said, referring to cards that automatically convert cryptocurrencies into fiat currency at the moment of purchase.

The Future Currency For AI Transactions?

Lastly, he emphasized cryptocurrency’s potential in the realm of artificial intelligence.

“The native currency for the AI agent is going to be crypto. They’re not going to use bank cards. They’re not going to swipe credit cards,” CZ stated.

Renowned economist Alex Tabbarok echoed this view in September last year after Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) teased a new feature that enables AI agents to transact using stablecoins. Coinbase said that customers can pay in USDC (CRYPTO: USDC) with a single tap, with no card numbers or zip codes required for authentication.

Will 2026 Be Bitcoin’s Breakout Year?

CZ’s bullish stance on these narratives coincided with his prediction of a Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) super cycle in 2026.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC at Davos, Zhao suggested that the four-year Bitcoin cycle could break as the U.S. and other countries become friendlier to cryptocurrency.

Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $88,187.72, up 0.43% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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