Changpeng Zhao Warns AI Is a Bigger Threat Than Crypto After IBM’s Stock Crash

Highlights:

• CZ says Wall Street overestimates crypto risks while ignoring AI-driven disruption.
• Binance founder points to IBM’s 13% crash as proof AI shocks markets.
• CZ argues that artificial intelligence threatens traditional finance faster than digital assets.

On February 23, Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao sparked debate across both crypto and traditional markets. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he argued that Wall Street may be worrying about the wrong thing. According to CZ, artificial intelligence poses a bigger risk to big finance than cryptocurrency ever did.

Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao Says AI Is the Real Danger

CZ spoke up after International Business Machines (IBM) shares fell more than 13% in a single day. The drop came when AI company Anthropic announced new tools that could update old programming systems like COBOL, which many large corporations still rely on.

When Anthropic revealed that its AI tools could modernize and automate these systems, investors worried that IBM’s long-standing business model could be disrupted. If companies can use AI to upgrade or replace COBOL-based systems more cheaply and efficiently, IBM risks losing a major source of income. 

Wall Street was worried about crypto… when they should be worried about AI. 😂 https://t.co/uXwzuHY1GN

— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) February 23, 2026

“Wall Street was worried about crypto… when they should be worried about AI,” CZ quipped in his post. He wasn’t saying crypto is harmless, but pointing out that AI is already shaking up jobs, tech companies, and the wider economy in ways that feel far more urgent. This wasn’t just a casual remark. The sarcasm in CZ’s words was unmistakable. CZ has seen traditional finance disparage crypto for risks and volatility for a very long time. Now, he says the way in which AI is changing markets looks more dramatic than any crypto price swing.

Analysts outside the crypto space have been sounding similar alarms. Morningstar recently noted that AI-driven competition and rising costs are shaking investor confidence. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank warned that markets are turning into “sniper’s alley” as AI disruption hits faster than expected.

AI disruption fears have turned markets into a “sniper’s alley,” according to Deutsche Bank, as investors shift from viewing AI as a “magical” growth story to focusing on its practical impact.
Software stocks have fallen by double digits in the past three months amid concerns…

— Top Stock Alerts (@TopStockAlerts1) February 16, 2026

CZ’s remarks don’t suggest crypto is safe or irrelevant. Coin prices remain volatile. Bitcoin and other major assets have faced selling pressure tied to global economic news and shifting market sentiment. Many in the crypto community welcomed his comment. They saw it as proof that digital assets have matured and now belong in mainstream finance. Exchanges like Binance and Coinbase have spent years building bridges with traditional markets, offering institutional services and regulated products.

AI’s Expanding Role in Finance

The influence of artificial intelligence, however, still resonates beyond the tech stock market. It is used as a tool for investment strategies, modeling, and financial analysis. This has led to the integration of AI into the heart of financial planning and forecasting. Investors recognize the economic value of AI as a force that will shape the future, and that is what makes it a vital topic for risk managers and analysts. In the debate about the location of market risk, CZ brings a different perspective from someone who has witnessed the journey from the fringes to the core.