Elon Musk's X launches cryptocurrency trading feature? Zhao Changpeng: The super cycle is coming soon!

As we enter 2026, the cryptocurrency market seems to be standing at the threshold of a new era, with excitement and anticipation filling the air. Two seemingly independent yet inherently connected major news stories are firmly capturing the attention of hundreds of millions of investors and tech enthusiasts worldwide: on one side, the social giant X platform (formerly Twitter), led by tech enthusiast Elon Musk, has announced an upcoming revolutionary financial tagging feature, hinting at the possibility of in-app cryptocurrency trading; on the other side, Binance founder CZ (Changpeng Zhao) has publicly declared that thanks to a fundamental shift in the regulatory environment, the crypto market is迎来一轮前所未有的“超级周期”。

These two threads intertwine, sketching a grand picture: the entry of tech giants, deep Wall Street involvement, and macro policy shifts seem to be collectively fueling the next wave of a spectacular bull market in the crypto world.

“Smart Cashtags”

At the center of the storm is a teaser released by Nikita Bier, Product Director of X, on January 11. He revealed that the platform is fully developing a new feature called “Smart Cashtags,” with plans to release it to the public as early as next month.

This feature aims to fundamentally change the chaotic state of financial information on current social media. According to Bier, “Smart Cashtags” will allow users to link directly to specific assets or smart contracts when posting stock or crypto tickers. When other users see these tags in their feed, they can simply click to view real-time prices, historical charts, and all related discussions instantly, without leaving the current page. Bier emphasized: “X is one of the world’s most important sources of financial information, and billions of dollars in market decisions are based on the information people get here.”

However, the potential of this feature extends far beyond that. A detail in the demo screenshot shared by Bier has ignited speculation across the crypto community: on the asset info card, there are “Buy” and “Sell” buttons prominently displayed. Although the official has not clarified how this will work—whether X will build its own trading system or route through APIs to third-party exchanges—this is undoubtedly the strongest signal so far, indicating that Musk plans to integrate cryptocurrency trading directly into X, which has nearly 700 million global users.

This move is seen as a key step in Musk’s grand vision of creating an “Everything App.” In recent years, X has quietly obtained money transfer licenses in over twenty US states, paving the way for its launch of payment and financial services. From the “X Money” digital wallet to collaborations with Visa, and now the anticipated “Smart Cashtags,” a clear financialization path has emerged.

Interestingly, the timing of this good news is quite subtle. Just a day earlier, Bier’s deletion of a post hinting at limiting high-activity user interactions sparked a strong backlash from the “Crypto Twitter” community. Many feared this move would stifle organic discussion and information dissemination. Therefore, the release of “Smart Cashtags” is also interpreted by some as a strategy to appease the community and reaffirm X’s friendly stance toward financial content creators.

“Super Cycle”

While X is building application-layer strength, another crypto giant—CZ—offers a more macro perspective. He believes the market is entering a “super cycle” driven by a historic shift in US regulatory policies.

CZ’s optimism is not unfounded. He points out that Washington’s attitude toward digital assets is undergoing a 180-degree turn. The core reasons include:

• Clarification of legislative frameworks: The GENIUS Act, passed in July 2025, established the first federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, transforming them from “systemic risk” to potential cornerstones of the US financial system. The highly anticipated CLARITY Act is also on the agenda, aiming to end the long-standing jurisdictional dispute between the SEC and CFTC and establish a unified compliance regime.
• The decline of a “regulation as enforcement” strategy: The SEC has removed cryptocurrencies from its 2026 review priority list, shifting resources toward artificial intelligence and third-party vendor risks. This is interpreted by the market as a easing of the aggressive enforcement era by the SEC.

This increased regulatory certainty is unlocking institutional capital at unprecedented speed. Since the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs in 2024, over $56 billion has flowed into them. Meanwhile, traditional financial giants like JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley are actively developing crypto-centric products.

Coincidentally, Wall Street’s infrastructure is also accelerating. Nasdaq and CME Group are deepening cooperation, transforming the original “Nasdaq Crypto Index” into the “Nasdaq-CME Crypto Index” (NCI). This aims to provide large investors with a unified, regulated crypto market benchmark and pave the way for more ETFs and structured products. This marks a shift of crypto assets from the fringe to the mainstream, integrated into the standard financial system.

Of course, CZ and some analysts also remind investors to stay calm, noting that positive legislation does not guarantee immediate linear market growth; progress may be gradual. But there is no denying that a more crypto-friendly macro environment is taking shape.

Multiple Catalysts

In this symphony orchestrated by tech and financial giants, some powerful notes are resonating.

Samson Mow, founder of Bitcoin infrastructure company JAN3, released a series of bold predictions for 2026 on January 11, with the most notable being: “Elon Musk will go hard into BTC.” Coupled with X’s new developments, Mow’s prediction seems particularly credible. He also projected a staggering target price of $1,330,000 for Bitcoin and predicted MicroStrategy’s stock could reach $5,000. These highly optimistic forecasts further fuel the market’s bullish sentiment.

Deeper catalysts may come from unexpected macro-political developments. Recently, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a criminal investigation into current Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, an unprecedented move that has raised concerns about the independence of the central bank. Although market forecasts suggest the risk of Powell’s resignation is low, this event itself reinforces Bitcoin’s core narrative.

As Jimmy Xue, co-founder of the quantitative yield protocol Axis, stated, challenges to central bank independence highlight Bitcoin’s value as a “neutral asset outside of legal or political disputes.” Tim Sun, senior researcher at HashKey Group, further analyzed that if the Fed’s independence is eroded, it could shake the entire dollar system’s foundation, prompting investors to permanently price in political intervention risks, which would be long-term bullish for decentralized, non-sovereign assets like Bitcoin. In the short term, such events may cause market volatility, but in the long run, they will push institutional investors to see Bitcoin as a valuable hedge against monetary system instability.

Conclusion

In summary, early 2026 presents a picture of multi-faceted, resonant prosperity in the crypto market. Musk’s X platform, through the “Smart Cashtags” feature, could seamlessly embed crypto awareness and trading into the daily social lives of hundreds of millions, potentially representing the largest retail onboarding channel to date.

All of this is set against a broader backdrop: US regulatory policies are shifting from confrontation to clarity, paving the way for large-scale institutional inflows (CZ’s “super cycle” theory); Wall Street is building robust, standardized market infrastructure (Nasdaq and CME cooperation); and macro-political uncertainties continue to reinforce Bitcoin’s core narrative as a store of value and hedge.

The application innovations of tech giants, structural improvements in regulation, deep integration with traditional finance, and potential macroeconomic drivers are working together in unprecedented ways. While the future remains uncertain, all signs point in the same direction: cryptocurrencies may truly be at the start of a new “super cycle.” 2026 will be a year to remember.