- Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao says Bitcoin could become more important than gold, potentially as soon as the next crypto bull cycle.
- Zhao expects sovereign reserve allocations to gradually shift toward digital assets, with Bitcoin accounting for more than half of strategic crypto holdings.
- He also expects AI and crypto adoption to begin with stablecoins, while AI-assisted trading could develop faster than AI-powered payments.
Bitcoin could eventually surpass gold in market value as governments and investors rethink how they hold reserve assets, according to Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.
Speaking at the Bitcoin Asia 2026 conference in Hong Kong, Zhao said gold’s market capitalization remains roughly 10 times larger than Bitcoin’s. However, he believes that gap could narrow significantly as digital assets gain a larger role in global financial markets.
Zhao said the transition would not happen overnight. Countries have spent decades building valuation, trading and reserve systems around gold, meaning any shift toward Bitcoin would likely happen gradually.
Still, he expects sovereign reserves to eventually include larger allocations to digital assets. In that scenario, Zhao believes Bitcoin could represent more than 50% of strategic crypto holdings, alongside assets such as Ethereum and BNB.
Bitcoin Rebounds Toward $80,000
Zhao’s comments come as Bitcoin continues recovering from its recent market downturn.
BTC gained more than 25% last week and traded around $79,700 on Thursday, up approximately 1.5% over the previous 24 hours. Gold, meanwhile, has climbed above $4,600.
The simultaneous strength in Bitcoin and gold comes as investors increasingly focus on scarce assets amid concerns surrounding government debt, inflation and currency debasement.
For Zhao, Bitcoin eventually overtaking gold would represent more than a price milestone. It would signal a broader change in how governments and investors think about reserve assets and digital scarcity.
AI and Crypto Could Converge Through Stablecoins
Zhao also expects artificial intelligence to become increasingly connected with crypto infrastructure.
He believes stablecoins are likely to provide the first major bridge between the two sectors because they offer AI systems a relatively straightforward way to transfer value digitally. Once AI agents can accept stablecoins, Zhao said adding Bitcoin payments would become relatively easy.
However, AI-assisted trading could develop faster than autonomous AI payments.
Trading requires participants to process large amounts of information, react quickly to news and analyze market data continuously. Zhao argued that these characteristics make financial markets particularly suitable for AI systems.
“No matter how you trade, AI can likely increase efficiency tenfold,” Zhao said.
Consumers, by comparison, already have convenient payment options such as credit and debit cards, potentially reducing the immediate need for autonomous AI payment systems.
If Zhao’s outlook proves correct, the next stage of crypto adoption could develop along two parallel tracks: Bitcoin gaining a larger role as a global reserve asset while stablecoins become a payment layer for increasingly autonomous AI systems.
