• Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has attributed the sharp decline in crypto markets during the first half of 2026 to multiple contributing factors rather than a single cause.
• CZ cited geopolitical tensions, investors rotating capital towards the artificial intelligence sector, and the typical four-year cycle of the cryptocurrency market as the key drivers behind the decline in Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) and other crypto assets.
• Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) reached an all-time high last October, surpassing US$126,000, but has since lost approximately 50% of its value.

BTC was trading around US$89,000 at the start of the year, briefly rose above US$96,000, before subsequently falling back to approximately US$60,000.

CZ…