CZ wants to make the U.S. the 'capital of crypto': State of Crypto
CoinDesk 2026-06-28 19:30:00
Context: Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, the founder of Binance, has re-entered the US crypto scene after serving a four-month prison sentence in 2024 for Bank Secrecy Act violations. He recently shared his views on the current state of crypto, its trajectory in the US, and his post-prison activities in an exclusive interview with CoinDesk. CZ aims to make the US the "capital of crypto" and has outlined his goals for Binance.US, the US-based crypto exchange he majority owns.
Key Facts
- Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, the founder of Binance, served a four-month prison sentence in 2024 for Bank Secrecy Act violations and has since re-entered the US crypto scene.
- CZ identified multiple causes for the 2026 bear market, including investors moving funds to AI, geopolitical events, and the usual four-year crypto market cycle.
- He aims to make the US the "capital of crypto" and plans to achieve this by having Binance.US tap into Binance Global's liquidity, making the US market stronger.
- CZ does not want to run a crypto exchange again, instead preferring to operate as an informal adviser to the various companies he has invested in.
- Despite pleading guilty to Bank Secrecy Act violations, CZ believes that his reputation has not been hurt and that his goal in Washington, D.C. is to clear up any "misunderstandings" about himself and Binance.