CZ and Peter Schiff to debate Bitcoin vs tokenized gold in Dubai

Binance set a Dec. 4 debate at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena between Changpeng Zhao (CZ) and economist Peter Schiff on Bitcoin versus tokenized gold, part of Binance Blockchain Week 2025 running Dec. 3-4.

The session will examine which asset better fits money’s core roles-medium of exchange, unit of account and store of value. It is scheduled for day two at the Coca-Cola Arena, with access tied to conference registration.

Richard Teng, Binance’s CEO, called the matchup one that “embodies the spirit of critical analysis and innovation that our community demands.”

The event returns to Dubai for a second consecutive year. The program lists Michael Saylor, Brad Garlinghouse and Lily Liu among speakers. Sponsors include Celo, Solayer and NEXPACE.

As we reported earlier, an exchange on X brought the debate to a head. CZ criticized Schiff’s tokenized gold concept for relying on custodians, referring to it as a “trust me bro” token. On Oct. 23, Schiff challenged CZ to a public debate to test money’s three functions. CZ accepted and proposed holding it during Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai.

The discussion comes as governments and markets explore central bank digital currencies, tokenized assets and stablecoins. For investors, the topic intersects with choices between digital assets and physical gold, and with questions over custody, liquidity and risk.

CZ, Binance’s co-founder and founder of Giggle Academy, has argued that blockchain systems can reduce costs and widen access to financial services. Schiff, a long-time gold advocate and economist, promotes gold-backed instruments and has raised concerns about the speculative nature of cryptocurrencies.