Why did CZ's statement after being released from prison shake up the traditional financial landscape?

Standing in the spotlight at the Davos Forum, CZ, who has just re-entered the scene, said a seemingly calm statement: “Exchanges and stablecoins are already mature.” No grand speeches, no radical declarations. But behind this statement, it implies a complete redefinition of the traditional financial system by the entire crypto world.

Why can a short sentence make those who control the global financial pulse feel uneasy? The answer lies in—when a industry pioneer announces the “end” of an era in the calmest tone, it often means that new rules of the game have already taken shape, and old participants are losing their advantage.

From Skepticism to Internalization: Seven Years of Crypto World Transformation

In 2017, Bitcoin was still considered a pyramid scheme in casual conversations. At that time, no one could imagine that in less than ten years, this mocked asset would become a topic of national strategic discussion.

Moving forward—2021’s NFT craze seemed absurd, yet it marked the shift of blockchain applications from pure finance to multi-asset scenarios. By 2024, Bitcoin broke through the $100,000 mark. Wall Street giants, who once publicly denounced cryptocurrencies as “rat poison,” are now lining up to apply for spot ETFs. The Trump team even included Bitcoin in the list of discussions for national strategic reserves.

This is not just a price increase but a cognitive flip. Those who opposed it back then have become followers today. The industry has moved from proving itself to building its own ecosystem.

What a Mature Market Needs: From “Can It Survive” to “How to Optimize”

The hallmark of industry maturity is often not rapid growth but structural refinement. CZ’s concept of “maturity” points to three directions: asset tokenization, disintermediation in payment systems, and gradual improvement of regulatory frameworks.

But what fundamentally enables these grand narratives? Stable, sustainable, self-sustaining infrastructure.

Imagine—when the market no longer needs to prove itself to skeptics, attention shifts from “Can this be used?” to “How to make it more efficient.” This is the normal state of a mature market: wild growth ends, and refined operations begin.

The crypto world is no exception. From simple trade matching to a complete financial cycle system—this requires a new type of infrastructure: protocols that can provide stability and maximize capital efficiency.

The Evolution of Stablecoins: From Trading Tools to Revenue Engines

In volatile markets, stablecoins were once the simplest existence—pegged to USD, facilitating transactions. But mature markets demand more.

The new generation of stablecoins represented by USD1 demonstrates the direction of evolution:

Layer 1: Security Upgrades
USD1 is backed by over-collateralized mainstream assets (BNB, Ethereum, etc.), with transparency and security far surpassing early solutions. This is the foundation and the source of confidence.

Layer 2: Liquidity Optimization
Holders can earn yield certificates (like lisBNB) through staking, retaining the potential for asset appreciation while gaining immediate liquidity for trading or lending. This design allows capital to circulate across different segments, greatly increasing efficiency.

Layer 3: Sustainable Yield
The most critical improvement is—USD1 itself is a yield-bearing asset. Holding it, without additional operations, allows participation in protocol growth dividends. This is not a transfer of wealth from latecomers but an intrinsic ecosystem generation.

The stacking of these three layers transforms a once ordinary stablecoin into a new asset allocation option.

Personal Positioning in Industry Evolution

When rules are rewritten, smart participants no longer ask “Will it rise?” but “Where should I position myself?”

Step 1: From Speculation to Allocation
Allocate part of your funds into interest-bearing stablecoins as a “cornerstone” of your crypto portfolio. Regardless of market fluctuations, this part of assets appreciates automatically. This marks a shift from short-term profit mindset to long-term asset management.

Step 2: Understanding Cash Flow Sources
In a mature market, the most sustainable income comes from the cash flows generated by protocol design itself, not from wealth transfer among investors. ListaDAO’s USD1 financial mechanism exemplifies this sustainable model. Understanding this logic helps identify truly viable projects.

Step 3: Seizing Infrastructure Opportunities
The industry’s value migration is shifting from surface-level applications to foundational infrastructure. Early adopters who understand and participate in stablecoins and interest protocols can not only earn immediate returns but also capture future ecosystem growth dividends. This is a time advantage.

Epilogue: How to Enter the New Era

CZ’s statement is significant because it marks a turning point— the crypto world no longer needs to prove itself to the old world; it is quietly becoming the infrastructure of the new world.

This is not a sudden upheaval but a gradual infiltration. When you notice the change, the fastest way to adapt is not through aggressive all-in, but by starting from the most stable infrastructure—owning a stable asset that can grow on its own, understanding the underlying logic, and rationally seizing opportunities.

The train is moving, tickets are already issued. The key is not “whether to get on” but “whether you understand your position on the train.”