CZ Predicts $500K+ BTC This Cycle

"BTC to 100K!"
"100k!"
"500K incoming!"

Most of these calls turn out to be hopium from crypto ‘influencers’. But when Changpeng AKA "CZ" Zhao – the guy who built Binance into a crypto empire – says Bitcoin could hit $1 million this cycle, even the skeptics think “Hmmm… I guess it could?”

For the crypto newbies in the back, Changpeng Zhao is basically the Steve Jobs of crypto exchanges. The Chinese-Canadian coder started Binance in 2017 and grew it into the world's biggest crypto platform in record time. At its peak, Binance was processing $76 billion in daily volume – more than some stock exchanges. CZ became famous for his relentless work ethic (he famously slept four hours a night), his "funds are safu" meme after a 2019 hack, and his hoodie-and-jeans billionaire aesthetic. After a $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. regulators in 2023, he stepped down as CEO but remains one of crypto's most influential voices. When this guy talks price predictions, it's worth listening.

During a recent Rug Radio interview, CZ laid out why this cycle could send Bitcoin into the stratosphere. He predicted anywhere from a $500K to $1 million BTC. And no, he's not just pulling numbers out of thin air.

CZ says it all comes down to a few very important factors:

Firstly, there’s all the Bitcoin ETFs. After a decade of rejections, Wall Street finally got its Bitcoin buying machines in early 2024. The result that followed was a flood of institutional money that's changed the game.

"Most of the money in the U.S. is institutional. Bitcoin is going up because most of the ETFs are Bitcoin-based." - CZ

And he’s absolutely right, too. These ETFs have sucked up billions that would usually have flowed into pension funds and hedge funds. Unlike retail traders who panic-sell every dip, these big players are in for the long haul – creating a more stable price floor. Stable good btw.

Nation-states are still quietly stacking Bitcoin like it's digital gold (which, to be fair, it kind of is these day). El Salvador, the tiny country that made BTC legal tender in 2021, just bought another 7 BTC in April, bringing its total to 6,170 coins ($580 million). CZ called this "very good validation". When countries treat Bitcoin as a reserve asset, the "it's a scam" narrative goes out the window. Even Bhutan is reportedly building a crypto reserve. Bhutan, guys. Come on!

But the biggest shift, which we have mentioned time and time again on here, is America's crypto cold war finally coming to an end.

"The U.S. has pivoted 180 degrees," CZ said during the interview, clearly referencing the Trump administration's pro-crypto stance.

After years of regulatory crackdowns (including the case that cost CZ his CEO title), the mood is shifting. Politicians want the crypto vote. Banks want crypto products. Suddenly, holding Bitcoin doesn't seem so rebellious anymore.

And if you aren’t holding BTC, well CZ is of the opinion that you might actually have missed out now: "Retail had 15 years to buy. If they're late now, that was their choice."

Ok so that kind of sucks. Maybe just pause reading this for a moment and go buy some. But in fairness to CZ, he has a point. With ETFs, buying Bitcoin is now as easy as purchasing Apple stock. No wallets. No seed phrases. Just click "buy" in your brokerage app. Yet many among us still hesitate.

In classic CZ fashion, he also threw shade at meme-coins ("most have no value") while praising AI and decentralized science as legit innovations. Coming from a guy who saw Binance list countless meme tokens, that's telling.

But even mathemtically speaking it isn’t that ridiculous.
For a $1 million price tag per Bitcoin, we break it down as follows:

• Market cap: ~$20 trillion (about the size of the entire U.S. stock market)

• Compared to gold's $15 trillion market cap

• Compared to global money printing that's created $20 trillion since 2020 alone

Suddenly, it doesn't seem so crazy huh?

CZ’s predictions are a nod to just how far Bitcoin has come. Sure crypto has its ups and downs but we're no longer arguing if crypto will survive; we're guessing how high it can climb. Will Bitcoin actually hit $1 million this cycle? Maybe. Maybe not! But with institutions buying, nations accumulating, and regulators backing off: this could become a really remarkable cycle.