Binance Won’t Compete With Coinbase and Gemini, Says CEO Changpeng Zhao

Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, recently acknowledged in an interview that very few people are actually using decentralized application (DApps). According to Zhao, the main reason for this is that most DApps don’t have user-friendly interfaces.

Despite their present challenges, the Binance founder believes there will be a high demand for decentralized services because centralized applications don’t offer users the same potential level of privacy.

Focusing On Decentralized Platforms

It appears Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has started investing in decentralized systems. The exchange recently acquired Trust Wallet, a decentralized cryptocurrency wallet that can also be used as a browser for DApps. Notably, Binance is working on creating its own blockchain as well, in order to reportedly launch a fully-decentralized exchange (DEX).

Currently, however, “It’s still the very early stage in dApps. Most are just proof of concept or simple games,” Zhao noted. This, the Chinese-Canadian businessman said, will soon change as we may see more sophisticated and useful DApps in the market soon, thanks to a large number of developers and tech companies focusing on their development.

Blockchain Technology’s Developments

Additionally, there will likely be significant advancements in blockchain technology by 2020, which will lead to its increased use in messaging apps, social media platforms, and online rating systems, Zhao predicted.

Commenting on Binance’s plans to create a decentralized financial network, the former Blockchain.info team member said it was, and still is to many, the true vision of Bitcoin (BTC). He added that Binance’s ongoing expansion efforts, which include establishing an office in Malta and investing in a crypto-friendly bank, aim to make decentralized financial services a reality.

When questioned about the current state of DApps, the CEO stated blockchain networks that offer smart contracts on their platforms may be too slow for businesses to adopt. He believes heavily funded smart contracts projects like EOS, Tezos, and Dfinity will be outperformed by future competitors due to the rapid advancements in computing hardware and software solutions.

Zhao also mentioned there are more innovative projects in the market right now, including Komodo, which aim to provide companies with their own blockchain so they don’t have to share their network with other individuals or organizations. This, he suggested, is a better option with a potentially more efficient service, as blockchains like that of ETH have become heavily congested because of their public nature.

Not Looking To Compete With Coinbase, Gemini

Curiously, when asked about Binance’s leading competitor Coinbase, a large San-Francisco based cryptocurrency exchange that’s about to add Ethereum Classic (ETC), Zhao said his company was not looking to challenge its dominance in the US.

He explained:

In developed markets, there’s more money to be made but more regulation and it’s saturated with competition. We don’t want to compete with Coinbase and Gemini. The strategy there requires lots of lawyers and lobbying.

Zhao went on to reveal his company’s business strategy, which is to work closely and directly with the heads-of-state of smaller jurisdictions with crypto-friendly regulations, like Malta. He added that “[Binance has] a very good relationship with Coinbase” and that it appreciates what the US-based exchange is doing in trying to help regulators develop a better understanding of cryptocurrencies.