Zhao denies his August tweet drove a 20% Bitcoin rally, calls a $3 trillion crypto market unsaturated
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao denied his August 19 tweet triggered a 20% Bitcoin rally and said crypto adoption stays under 1% globally.
Why it matters
Zhao's denial addresses a recurring question about whether a single high-profile founder can move Bitcoin, and his under-1% penetration figure is his argument for continued room in a market he sizes at $3 trillion. Separately, the two Iran-related reports tie Bitcoin's move from a high above $87,000 to a rejected ceasefire proposal, with a $255 million liquidation total across the crypto market on September 26.
Where the sources disagree
Whether Zhao's August 19 tweet moved Bitcoin
Zhao: the short answer is no, he does not have the power to do that
Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Speculation that the August 19 tweet triggered a 20% Bitcoin rally that unfolded hours before Trump's crypto summit speech
Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Zhao denies his tweet triggered the 20% rally, but Crypto News frames the timing as looking suspiciously perfect and reports an existing 20% rally claim he was responding to.
Key facts
Zhao said his August 19 tweet did not trigger the 20% Bitcoin rally reported around Trump's crypto summit speech.
20 %Disputed figureReported by Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Zhao said he tweets bullish content five to ten times daily and had no advance knowledge of Trump's speech.
Reported by Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Zhao said crypto penetration remains under 1% worldwide, citing global adoption figures.
1 %Reported by Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Zhao described a $3 trillion crypto market as nowhere near saturated.
3,000,000,000,000 USDReported by Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Zhao said retail investors can compete with projects paying market makers, KOLs, launchpads and exchanges for promotion, though the line between honest marketing and deception is not always clear.
Reported by Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Bitcoin's August rally culminated days before the reports in a surge past $87,000, and CryptoPotato described that rally as in jeopardy after Middle East tensions escalated.
87,000 USDReported by CryptoPotato
CoinGape cited CoinGlass data showing $255 million in crypto market liquidations on September 26, with Bitcoin posting the highest at $63 million.
255,000,000 USDReported by CoinGape
What happened
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao denied speculation that his August 19 tweet triggered a 20% Bitcoin rally, saying he lacks the power to move markets and had no advance knowledge of the crypto summit speech that followed hours later. He said he posts bullish content five to ten times a day, so one tweet landing near positive news is coincidence, and he adapted a quote about taking action today to build a better future while on the road. On market size, Zhao pointed to global adoption figures putting crypto penetration under 1% and called a $3 trillion market nowhere near saturated. Asked whether retail investors can compete with projects paying market makers, KOLs, launchpads and exchanges for promotion, Zhao said yes, while noting the line between honest marketing and deception is not always black and white. Two of the three articles in the set cover a separate story about Trump rejecting an Iranian seven-day ceasefire proposal, which CryptoPotato and CoinGape linked to Bitcoin pressure, so the desk's coverage of this cluster is split between Zhao's comments and Iran-related price reporting.
How the story developed
- First report
First report by Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
CZ Denies Moving Bitcoin Price, Says $3 Trillion Crypto Market Is ‘Nowhere Near Saturated’
- Update
Zhao addresses speculation that his August 19 tweet triggered a 20% Bitcoin rally ahead of Trump's crypto summit speech
He said the tweet adapted a quote about taking action today and that he had no advance knowledge of the speech.
- Update
Zhao says he tweets bullish content five to ten times daily, making a tweet near positive news a coincidence
He added that if he had known about the speech, he would not have made the tweet.
- Independent corroboration
Independently corroborated by CryptoPotato
Bitcoin Price Under Pressure Again as Trump Reportedly Rejects Iran Peace Deal
- Update
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered a seven-day ceasefire plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
CoinGape reported the plan was transmitted to the US via Qatari mediators.
- Update
Wall Street Journal reports Trump rejected Iran's seven-day ceasefire proposal and expects to resume bombing after the midterms
CryptoPotato also reported Trump said the war would end right after elections weeks earlier, a sharp change from that position.
- Update
CryptoPotato reports Bitcoin's rally could be in jeopardy as Middle East tensions escalate
The outlet described the August rally as having culminated days earlier in a surge past $87,000.
- Update
CoinGape reports Bitcoin slipped from $84,100 to $83,900 after the rejection report, then rebounded to $84,000
The outlet also cited $255 million in crypto liquidations on September 26, with Bitcoin highest at $63 million.
How coverage built up
Independent sources over time, counted the way the consensus panel counts them: a republication of a wire story does not move the line.
- 25 Sept 2026, 22:49 UTC: Crypto News (CryptoNews.net) — 1 independent source, 1 reports
- 26 Sept 2026, 06:01 UTC: CryptoPotato — 2 independent sources, 2 reports
- 26 Sept 2026, 07:33 UTC: CoinGape — 3 independent sources, 3 reports
Affected entities
Also mentioned: BlackRock, Fidelity, Hyperliquid
Original sources
| Publisher | Report | Role | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto News (CryptoNews.net) Aggregator | CZ Denies Moving Bitcoin Price, Says $3 Trillion Crypto Market Is ‘Nowhere Near Saturated’ | Original | |
| CryptoPotato Crypto media | Bitcoin Price Under Pressure Again as Trump Reportedly Rejects Iran Peace Deal | Independent | |
| CoinGape Crypto media | Bitcoin Price Prediction as Trump Rejects Iran’s 7-day Ceasefire Proposal | Independent |
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