Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao has ruled out a return to the trading platform, even with a pardon from former U.S. President Donald Trump that might have made it feasible. Zhao stated that he doesn’t feel the need to go back, noting that his departure after seven years was a pivotal decision for him.

Zhao remarked on CNBC’s Squawk Box that the pardon implies former restrictions are lifted, but he dismissed the possibility of returning to Binance:

“I haven’t really needed to go back. I didn’t really want to. I thought it was a pretty good way for me to step down, away from Binance after seven years.”

In November 2023, Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to uphold an effective Anti-Money Laundering program and was sentenced to four months in prison, limiting his future with Binance. Following his pardon in October, rumors about his return circulated, yet Zhao has firmly denied these notions.

Zhao expressed satisfaction with Binance’s leadership under Richard Teng and Yi He, emphasizing that the company hasn’t lost momentum. He mentioned that they have reached over 300 million users and achieved a yearly trading volume of $34 trillion.

“I just thought, look; they don’t need a backseat driver today. I’m still a shareholder,” Zhao elaborated.

Amid declining crypto markets, Zhao forecasts that Bitcoin could enter a supercycle in 2026, marking a notable shift in trends contrary to the historical four-year cycles traditionally observed in crypto markets.

“Normally, Bitcoin follows four-year cycles… But I think this year, given the U.S. being pro-crypto, we will probably break the four-year cycle.”