CZ says he will not return to Binance and predicts a Bitcoin supercycle in 2026

Binance cofounder Changpeng Zhao has ruled out returning to lead the exchange, despite receiving a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump. He said his legal restrictions are no longer in place, but returning “is not needed — neither for him nor for the company.”

Zhao acknowledged that stepping down was difficult, but said it allowed the exchange to develop under new leadership. Binance, he noted, “doesn’t need a backseat driver”: the current CEOs are growing key metrics, and the user base has surpassed 300 million. In 2025, the exchange recorded $34 trillion in total trading volume — one of the largest figures in the industry.

Zhao said he remains a shareholder but now interacts with Binance only through public commentary, calling this the most productive and safest role for the exchange’s development.

He devoted particular attention to bitcoin’s outlook. Despite the weak start to the year and deteriorating sentiment, Zhao is convinced that a “bitcoin supercycle” is possible in 2026 — a prolonged deviation from the traditional four-year cycle.

Historically, bitcoin has reached a new high roughly every four years, followed by a decline. But Zhao believes the changing macro environment — including explicit public support for crypto from the United States and growing adoption in other countries — could break that pattern. In his view, strengthening institutional infrastructure is creating conditions for a longer and more powerful trend.

Zhao also noted that in 2026 the U.S. has become one of the most crypto-friendly jurisdictions in the world, setting the pace for global regulatory alignment. He believes that under these conditions, bitcoin could outperform previous market cycles.

His comments came as the market remains in correction: bitcoin is trading below $88,000, pressured by macro headlines and capital outflows from some funds. Despite this, Zhao views current conditions as a favorable entry point into a long-term trend.