At the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF)in Davos, Switzerland, crypto billionaire and former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) took part in a high-level roundtable discussion, offering forward-looking insights into the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry. Drawing from years of experience at the forefront of digital finance, CZ outlined where he believes the crypto ecosystem is headed, how banking will change, and which innovations will define the industry’s next growth cycle.

CZ noted that cryptocurrency has already delivered two globally adopted success stories: crypto exchanges and stablecoins, both of which he described as massive and mature businesses today. However, he stressed that the industry is only beginning to unlock its full potential.

Three Key Frontiers for Crypto Growth

Looking ahead, CZ identified three major targets that could shape the future of cryptocurrency.

The first is .state-level asset tokenization. CZ revealed that he has spent years engaging with governments around the world on the idea of placing state-owned assets on the blockchain. According to him, if governments tokenize assets and move them on-chain, they could become early beneficiaries of the technology, unlocking new revenue streams while accelerating broader crypto adoption across the global economy.

The second frontier is crypto payments. CZ observed that most current crypto-based transactions still rely on intermediaries, such as crypto cards that convert digital assets into fiat currency at the point of sale. He believes this is only a transitional phase. In the long term, CZ expects direct crypto payments—without conversion into fiat—to gain widespread acceptance and become a major part of everyday commerce.

The third and most transformative opportunity, in CZ’s view, lies at the intersection of cryptocurrency and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He described crypto and blockchain as the most natural financial infrastructure for AI agents. As AI systems increasingly act on behalf of humans—executing tasks, making decisions, and interacting with digital services—they will require autonomous and programmable payment methods. CZ predicts that these AI-driven transactions will rely on cryptocurrencies rather than traditional bank cards or payment rails.

The Future of Banking in a Digital World

Beyond crypto itself, CZ shared a bold outlook on the future of traditional banking. He anticipates a sharp decline in the relevance of physical bank branches over the next ten years, as consumers increasingly favor online and mobile banking solutions. According to CZ, visiting a bank in person will become far less common as digital alternatives continue to improve.

He compared the current moment to the launch of the first online bank by ING roughly 25 years ago, noting that today’s technologies—particularly crypto and e-KYC (electronic know-your-customer) systems—are dramatically accelerating the transition to fully digital financial services.

While CZ does not believe banks will disappear entirely, given their fundamental role in the financial system, he is confident that their physical presence will shrink significantly. In his view, the future of finance will be defined by digital-first interactions, with cryptocurrency playing an increasingly central role in how value is stored, transferred, and managed.