CZ Demands Crypto Industry Pivot to AI or Get Left Behind
Binance’s ex-CEO throws down the gauntlet: legacy blockchain projects must integrate AI or become relics. ’The merge isn’t optional,’ he warns during a Hong Kong fintech fireside chat—conveniently timed before Q2 earnings reports drop.
Market watchers note the irony: an industry that couldn’t regulate itself now wants to ’disrupt’ AI governance. Meanwhile, quant funds quietly stack AI-linked altcoins—because nothing solves existential tech debt like another speculative bubble.
Everyone just wanted one selfie
.
Even the security couldn’t manage the crowd.
Many have skipped lunch
pic.twitter.com/AiOcFITVPw
— Pushpendra Singh (@pushpendrakum) April 30, 2025
: Next 1000X Crypto: 10+ Crypto Tokens That Can Hit 1000x in 2025
Regulating Everything Locally Is Not The Way To Go
CZ explained that the discussion surrounding countries adopting crypto and blockchain into their financial landscape is now more advanced than it was before, as they encounter distinct challenges in their pursuit of blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption.
An example CZ cited was the expectations of some countries to regulate everything locally, in terms of local custody wallet solutions, local order book, local teams, etc. However, that is not usually the best route to take.
Further elaborating, he said, setting up local custody solutions for billions of dollars requires a lot of funding and expertise, which is currently lacking. “For each cold wallet, you need 15 signers,” he stated.
“You can’t find 15 signers that are not public, that are extremely trustworthy in different parts of the world, in different geographies. They’re not incentivised by more money. They have a steady job, they’re high-income, they have a nice family. You just can’t find a hundred times more of those 15 people,” he explained.
Regarding local order books he emphasized, “If you divide each country with their own order book, liquidity is going to suck.”
: Best New Cryptocurrencies to Invest in 2025
Europe Seems To Be “Missing On The Map”
Highlighting Bhutan as a standout example, CZ iterated that the countries that get into holding crypto reserves sooner rather than later will be better off since the price of crypto assets such as Bitcoin will only go up.
Bhutan, he stated, has been mining Bitcoins with its surplus clean energy for years as an early crypto adopter and has recently ventured into mining Ethereum as well. The country currently holds Bitcoins, Ethereum and Binance Coin in their strategic reserves.
“The early adopters are moving forward,” he said, talking about countries adopting a crypto reserve doctrine. He reiterates that since the US, as the world’s largest economy, holds crypto reserves, it forces other economies to get on board with the program as well.
According to him, countries with smaller allocations towards crypto use professional custody solutions and adopt secure cold storage as their investment as this asset class scales over time.
When asked where he sees Europe in this equation, CZ replied “nowhere”. Although he said that Montenegro is an outlier. On the macro scale, however, Europe seems to be “missing on the map.”
: 9+ Best High-Risk, High–Reward Crypto to Buy in April 2025
Key Takeaways
- Early adopters of crypto reserves have a strategic national advantage
- Local regulation of cold wallets, order books, etc., is not feasible
- AI will generate 10 times more word tokens in the future
