Changpeng Zhao, one of the founders of Binance, also known as CZ, made evaluations about the prison process, the amnesty decision of US President Donald Trump, and the relationship between artificial intelligence and crypto assets. Zhao, who was the top manager of Binance for a while, stated that he sees Bitcoin’s level of 60 thousand dollars as low and that new usage areas can support the market.
Legal process and amnesty decision
Zhao, who has a fortune of approximately $110 billion according to Forbes data, is among the co-founders of Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency trading platforms. The legal process against him came to the fore following a comprehensive investigation conducted by the US Department of Justice. Authorities claimed that controls to prevent money laundering at Binance were inadequate.
Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 and resigned from his position as a top executive at Binance. He was released in September 2024 after a four-month federal prison sentence. Donald Trump decided to grant a full pardon for Zhao on October 23, 2025. The administration considered the case as part of the previous Biden administration’s approach to cryptocurrencies.
Zhao stated that he has not had the opportunity to thank Trump personally yet, but plans to do so.
Post-prison priorities
Speaking on the Power Players podcast program, Zhao said that the most challenging element during the prison period was the psychological pressure rather than the physical conditions. He stated that it took him a few weeks after his release to adapt to daily life and accelerate his studies.
Zhao explained that many major media outlets described him as the wealthiest person ever incarcerated in a US federal prison, and that his legal team therefore warned him against attempts to extort money.
It was reported that Zhao focused on three areas in the next period. These include supporting innovative technology entrepreneurs, advising governments on digital asset regulations, and expanding the free education initiative Gig Academy. The number of registered users in Gig Academy increased from 100 thousand to 500 thousand 6 months ago.
Bitcoin and artificial intelligence evaluation
Sharing his views on the cryptocurrency market, Zhao said that he found Bitcoin trading at $60,000 low compared to historical peaks and his own long-term expectations. Reminding that the price dropped to 16 thousand dollars during the last decline, Zhao emphasized that the market needs more applications and concrete usage areas.
According to Zhao, the wave of investment in artificial intelligence is not a threat but an opportunity for crypto assets. He argued that some investors managing capital are using digital assets to access AI-focused startups, which can increase trading volume and market depth.
He also predicted that AI agents will be able to independently handle payments and transactions over crypto infrastructure within a few months. Reminding that the internet has not been eliminated by blockchain, Zhao stated that artificial intelligence will not replace blockchain, and that the two fields may become more intertwined in the coming years.
Mini dictionary: An artificial intelligence agent is a software system that can perform certain tasks with limited human intervention. In crypto payments, this structure is used to automate steps such as using a wallet, sending payments, or executing transactions according to certain rules.
While Zhao acknowledged that regulatory issues and technical challenges will remain on both the AI and blockchain sides, he stated that he will continue to focus on long-term development areas.
