Speaking at Token2049 in Dubai, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) spoke deeply about the confluence of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI) to reshape the future.
During the event, his key message was bold and clear: “The currency for AI is crypto.”
CZ is convinced that AI will rapidly transform everything—from generating stories and characters to constructing intelligent, interactive apps. In this future, AI agents will require a financial system, and crypto is the ideal match. Because it’s fast, borderless, and doesn’t require a middleman.
CZ also rebuked the new trend of AI tokens, stating that “99.99% of them are useless.” He’s unimpressed by initiatives that permit anyone to mint their token or AI bot without any utility. He warned the sector against getting caught in the hype trap and instant cash, but rather work on developing tools and services that benefit real people.
One of the examples CZ gave was Giggle Academy, his education initiative that utilizes AI and blockchain to generate children’s storybooks. Within six months, it had reached more than 220,000 kids in 15 languages. He aims to educate one billion children for free with technology rather than conventional systems.
CZ observed that Europe is lagging in crypto adoption, whereas Bhutan and the U.S. are in the lead, even keeping crypto as a strategic reserve. India’s high tax rates, on the other hand, are a huge hurdle to growth. He advised Web3 founders to work on actual utility rather than following fleeting hype.
When discussing the future, CZ also pondered on why we invest in businesses such as X (formerly Twitter). It’s not merely technology. X represents another philosophy—one where freedom of speech, open platforms, and economic freedom are respected.
He continued, “Money is important, but you also need freedom of speech. That comes from the bottom layer. If you don’t have that, nothing else will work.”
CZ described how when they invested in X, it was on the basis of this fundamental belief in freedom and openness, not only financial gain. But now, X is a top AI company, demonstrating how this value foundation is now combining with advanced technology.
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