Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, attended the World Economic Forum's (WEF) 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos, marking his first official appearance since Binance's 2023 U.S. settlement. Zhao's participation, focusing on the "New Era for Finance" track, signals a shift in how programmable money is perceived, moving from speculative crypto to emerging financial infrastructure. His presence indicates that the products he helped develop have gained systemic relevance. Stablecoin supply reached approximately $311 billion in mid-January 2026, with annual transaction volumes around $33 trillion, comparable to Visa. Tokenized U.S. Treasuries are also growing, nearing $10 billion. Zhao also serves as an advisor to state crypto initiatives, including Pakistan's Crypto Council and a Kyrgyzstan national stablecoin partnership.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, attended the World Economic Forum's (WEF) 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos, marking his first official appearance since Binance's 2023 U.S. settlement. Zhao's participation, focusing on the "New Era for Finance" track, signals a shift in how programmable money is perceived, moving from speculative crypto to emerging financial infrastructure. His presence indicates that the products he helped develop have gained systemic relevance. Stablecoin supply reached approximately $311 billion in mid-January 2026, with annual transaction volumes around $33 trillion, comparable to Visa. Tokenized U.S. Treasuries are also growing, nearing $10 billion. Zhao also serves as an advisor to state crypto initiatives, including Pakistan's Crypto Council and a Kyrgyzstan national stablecoin partnership.