The price of Bitcoin registered a hot start to the new year, making a run to reclaim the highly coveted $100,000 level in the early days of January. While the premier cryptocurrency has cooled off over the past few days, optimism has never been this high in the market over the last couple of months. Adding to this optimism is Binance’s co-founder and former CEO, Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao, who predicted an extremely positive outlook for Bitcoin in 2026.
BTC Could Abandon 4-Year Cycle Theory In 2026: CZ
In a CNBC interview at the World Economic Forum, CZ said that he has “strong feelings” that the Bitcoin price will enter a supercycle in 2026. This prediction came as a response to the interviewer’s question about Zhao’s Bitcoin price outlook.
In an economic context, a supercycle refers to an extended period characterized by the explosive growth of an asset or sector. Unlike a typical short-term rally triggered by hype and speculation, supercycles signal a significant shift underpinned by strong fundamentals over an extended period.
Zhao explained to the interviewer that the price of Bitcoin moves in a four-year cyclical pattern, spanning periods of all-time highs and cycle lows. However, the former Binance CEO agreed with the ongoing narrative that believes that the premier cryptocurrency will break the four-year cycle theory this year.
When asked about his strategy and current portfolio, CZ mentioned that he doesn’t trade the crypto market but rather accumulates coins with long-term promise. Specifically, the prominent crypto leader said that he keeps accumulating Bitcoin and BNB, the Binance ecosystem’s native token.
In his interview, CZ also talked about life after his four-month stint in jail, mentioning his work with YZi Labs, Giggle Academy, and as a crypto advisor to various governments. Zhao, who received a pardon from United States President Donald Trump in October 2025, clarified the rumors around receiving clemency for violating the US Bank Secrecy Act.
It is worth noting that CZ is not the first personality in the crypto space to speak about the Bitcoin price abandoning the halving-associated four-year cycle for a supercycle. Fidelity Labs managing partner, Parth Gargava, had echoed a similar sentiment about the BTC market earlier in the new year.
Gargava highlighted three drivers as the factors behind the transition from the typical four-year cycle to a supercycle. “Steady buy-in by institutions focused on ETFs, policy, and market maturation and changing correlations,” the Fidelity executive listed as the catalysts behind the shifting market landscape.
Bitcoin Price At A Glance
As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $89,460, reflecting no significant movement in the past day.
The price of BTC on the daily timeframe | Source: BTCUSDT chart on TradingView
