Changpeng Zhao says he hopes that within five years people will stop talking about crypto as a separate technology and simply use it as part of everyday life. In his view, blockchain and digital assets should become as invisible as the internet’s underlying protocols, where users rely on the system without thinking about how it works.

Zhao explained that just as people no longer discuss technologies like HTML or TCP/IP, crypto could fade into the background while powering payments, data storage and digital ownership behind the scenes. He believes that by around 2030–2031, blockchain could be embedded into daily infrastructure rather than treated as a niche industry.

Adoption trends appear to support that vision. Estimates suggest hundreds of millions of people already use crypto globally, and some analysts think the sector may be only one market cycle away from mainstream acceptance. Firms such as ARK Invest have projected digital assets could grow into a multi-trillion-dollar market by the end of the decade, while stablecoins and tokenized securities are increasingly expected to handle a meaningful share of global financial activity.

Zhao also pointed to artificial intelligence as a catalyst, arguing that AI agents will likely use crypto rails for payments and automation. Faster development from AI-assisted coding could accelerate blockchain adoption and expand real-world use cases. He added that countries embracing both AI and blockchain will gain a competitive advantage, while those that ignore them risk falling behind technologically and economically.

Overall, Zhao’s message is that crypto’s real success will come when it stops being a buzzword and becomes quietly embedded in everyday systems—used widely, but rarely discussed.