Binance Founder CZ Projects Bitcoin Supercycle for 2026, Denies Trump Relationship

Core Viewpoint - The co-founder of Binance, Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, predicts that 2026 will be a supercycle for Bitcoin, driven by the U.S. government's increasingly pro-crypto stance and the potential for other nations to follow suit, suggesting a break from Bitcoin's historical four-year cycle [1][2]. Group 1 - Zhao expressed strong confidence in Bitcoin's upward trajectory over a 5-10 year horizon, indicating that predicting growth in this timeframe is straightforward [3]. - Other crypto executives have set ambitious price targets for Bitcoin in 2026, with Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and BitMex co-founder Arthur Hayes suggesting targets of $180,000 and $200,000 respectively [2]. - Zhao holds both Bitcoin and Binance's BNB token, although he did not specify a price target for Bitcoin [2]. Group 2 - Zhao denied any connections to former President Donald Trump regarding crypto dealings, despite some industry critics suggesting otherwise [3][4]. - He clarified that while the Trump family is involved in crypto and the Trump administration is pro-crypto, there is no direct connection to his business [4]. - Zhao mentioned that a $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi's MGX in Binance was paid in USD1 stablecoin, which is linked to the Trump-connected World Liberty Financial, but he emphasized that the dealings have been misconstrued [4]. Group 3 - Zhao expressed gratitude for a pardon he received, which followed a four-month prison sentence for money laundering violations related to his firm [5]. - He was released two days early after completing his sentence in September 2024 [5].