Headline: CZ says a revived Binance.US could reconnect American traders with the world’s deepest crypto liquidity
At Consensus Miami 2026, Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao floated the idea of reviving Binance.US as a way to restore U.S. traders’ access to the best global crypto prices — a sore spot he says persists because “the best liquidity in crypto is outside of the U.S.”
After years of limited engagement in the American market, CZ argued that U.S. investors and institutions still lack access to the deepest liquidity pools. “Crypto is one of the very few markets that U.S. don’t have access to the best prices,” he said, adding that Binance, in his view, “has the best liquidity” and would like to offer that to U.S. consumers either by revitalizing Binance.US or through other channels.
Background and comeback plans
CZ’s remarks come two years after he stepped down as Binance CEO and pleaded guilty to multiple U.S. charges. He served a four-month sentence, was released in 2024, and was pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2025. Meanwhile, Binance.US — led by CEO Stephen Gregory — has been planning a return that could expand beyond spot trading into derivatives and prediction markets.
Regulatory shift and talent returning
Zhao said U.S. policy toward crypto has shifted over the past 18 months, prompting him to engage more with American builders, regulators and policymakers. He described the U.S. as “leading in the world in terms of crypto policies,” pointing to market-structure legislation such as the CLARITY Act. That evolving regulatory landscape, he said, is drawing developers and firms back after an exodus to hubs like Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and Singapore.
BNB Chain’s U.S. push and institutional opportunity
Zhao also portrayed BNB Chain as underexposed in the United States after years of limited activity. He noted recent steps to increase U.S. presence — a “builder house” in New York, a small San Francisco footprint, and rising U.S. investment through YZi Labs (the rebranded Binance Labs). YZi Labs has become more active under Zhao’s direction and introduced a $1 billion fund targeting BNB Chain projects.
Institutional access to BNB has been limited until recently, Zhao said, which has left the token behind other major assets in exchange-traded products and institutional distribution. He framed that gap as an opportunity: “When the institutions come in, that’s generally better for the token.”
AI agents and crypto rails
Looking beyond trading and liquidity, CZ suggested blockchains — and BNB Chain in particular — could serve as payment rails for autonomous AI agents. He argued that traditional payment systems such as credit cards lack programmatic interfaces that agents need, making blockchains a more native choice for automated, cross-border micro-payments. “BNB Chain should just be the money for agents,” he said, while acknowledging the space is still nascent.
Why it matters
If Binance or Binance.US can reintroduce deeper global liquidity to U.S. markets, traders could see tighter spreads and better pricing. The combination of a friendlier regulatory environment, returning developer talent, renewed institutional interest in tokens like BNB, and emerging use cases tied to AI could reshape how U.S. participants connect to global crypto markets — provided regulatory and compliance hurdles remain navigable.
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