Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has signaled a renewed ambition to provide U.S. investors with access to the exchange’s global liquidity—a move that could reshape trading conditions for American crypto participants. Speaking at the Miami Consensus 2026 conference, Zhao argued that the deepest liquidity and best pricing in crypto markets currently exist outside the United States, leaving domestic investors at a disadvantage.
During his keynote, Zhao highlighted Binance’s industry-leading liquidity and expressed a desire to either revive Binance.US or explore alternative pathways to deliver world-class pricing to U.S. users. His remarks come amid a shifting U.S. regulatory landscape, which he described as significantly more favorable than 18 months prior, pointing to legislation like the CLARITY Act and the return of developers who had fled to hubs such as Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Zhao also addressed the future of BNB, noting that institutional investors have long struggled to access the token. He suggested that a future influx of institutional capital into BNB could serve as a positive catalyst, and that BNB Chain should become a payment infrastructure for AI agents, stating: “BNB Chain should be the agents’ currency.” This vision aligns with a broader strategic reassessment of Binance’s U.S. presence, which has been limited since Zhao’s 2023 guilty plea, four-month prison sentence, release in 2024, and subsequent presidential pardon.
Binance.US, under CEO Stephen Gregory, is reportedly planning to expand beyond spot trading into derivatives and prediction markets. If Zhao’s push succeeds, U.S. retail and institutional investors could benefit from tighter spreads, deeper order books, and significantly reduced trading costs. However, any such move would require navigating complex U.S. securities laws, anti-money laundering and know-your-customer requirements, and the terms of Binance’s 2023 settlement with authorities.
