The term “cryptocurrency,” which until recently was associated with volatility, “shady” tokens, and technological experiments, may soon become history. This sensational forecast comes from Changpeng Zhao (CZ), former CEO and co-founder of the largest crypto exchange, Binance.
According to one of the most influential figures in the digital assets industry, within five years the word “cryptocurrency” will vanish from everyday language. But this won’t happen because the technology fails - quite the opposite: it will be due to its total and seamless integration into daily life.
Assimilation, Not Competition
In an interview on The Wolf Of All Streets (April 26, 2026), CZ dismantles a major myth of the past decade. He argues that digital assets are not an alternative or enemy to traditional finance (TradFi). Instead, blockchain and tokens are becoming the technological foundation for its evolution.
“Think of the internet in the 90s ”- CZ explained. “We used to say ‘information superhighway’ or ‘cyberspace’. Now we just turn on Wi-Fi and don’t notice the technology. The same will happen to cryptocurrencies.”
CZ predicts a merger of two worlds. In this new reality, tokenized assets (stocks, real estate, commodities) will no longer stand out as a separate asset class. Blockchain will become an invisible but mandatory layer for recording property rights, settlements, and storing value.
Stablecoins and U.S. Regulation
The key trigger for the disappearance of the term “cryptocurrency” will be the adoption of stablecoin laws. CZ expressed hope that the United States will pass legislation regulating interest rates on stablecoins as soon as possible. This, he believes, will allow America to maintain financial leadership and give investors what they have lacked most - a sense of legal security.
“Regulation in the U.S. is already giving investors a feeling of order,” CZ noted. “But passing a law on stablecoin interest rates will signal that the digital dollar is no longer a toy - it’s an official market instrument.”
The Era of AI Agents and Blockchain
Special attention in the forecast is given to artificial intelligence. Changpeng Zhao is convinced that the coming era of autonomous AI agents (programs that perform tasks on behalf of humans) cannot happen without distributed ledger technology.
“AI agents will need cryptography to transact with each other,” - CZ stated. “They can’t open a bank account, but they can manage a crypto wallet. When millions of bots start paying for each other’s services via blockchain, the word ‘cryptocurrency’ will die on its own. It will just become ‘money.”Will the World Be Better?
According to the Binance co-founder, the disappearance of the term will be a marker of market maturity. When a technology becomes so convenient and reliable that people don’t even notice it, it no longer needs its own flashy name.
Key takeaways from CZ’s forecast:
1. In 5 years, the term “cryptocurrency” will become obsolete.
2. Traditional finance and blockchain will merge into a single system.
3. Tokenization will affect all asset classes.
4. AI agents will drive mass blockchain adoption.
5. U.S. regulation (especially stablecoin laws) will determine who leads the new era.
If the forecast holds, by 2031 your children will look puzzled and ask: “Crypto-what? You mean just money?” And that, according to Changpeng Zhao, is the ultimate success of the digital revolution.