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President Trump pardons Binance founder CZ, ending his 2023 conviction and signaling a friendlier U.S. stance toward the $4T crypto sector.
Author: Tanishq Bodh
October 23, 2025 – In a decision that stunned both political and crypto circles, President Donald Trump has granted a full presidential pardon to Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the billionaire co-founder of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The pardon, announced on October 22, clears Zhao’s 2023 money-laundering conviction and underscores Trump’s aggressive push to align his administration with the $4 trillion digital asset industry.
The White House described the pardon as “the end of the war on crypto.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump acted to correct “an overreach by the Biden administration,” which she claimed unfairly targeted innovators. Markets responded instantly.
BNB jumped 6% to $1,146, while Bitcoin hovered near $68,000, reflecting renewed confidence across the sector. Analysts suggested the decision could accelerate Binance’s return to U.S. compliance talks and rekindle institutional participation.
Zhao, who served four months in prison for failing to enforce anti-money-laundering protocols, thanked Trump on X:
The pardon immediately drew backlash. Senator Elizabeth Warren called it “corruption in plain sight,” citing Zhao’s links to World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a Trump family connected crypto venture reportedly generating $4.5 billion in trading volume. Watchdogs argue that the move undermines the credibility of future market reforms.
Still, pro-crypto advocates viewed it differently. They framed the pardon as a long-overdue step toward recognizing blockchain’s economic importance.
Others see it as a defining political moment , where regulation shifts from enforcement to engagement.
Binance remains the world’s largest exchange, processing over $100 billion in daily trades across spot, futures, and Web3 services.
With his record cleared, Zhao may resume an advisory role, potentially shaping onshore listings and tokenization partnerships in the U.S.
Trump’s action follows earlier pardons for BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes and a privacy coin developer, building a pattern of pro-crypto policy.
The decision could bolster Trump’s proposed National Bitcoin Reserve and encourage exchanges to operate under clearer, friendlier oversight.
Yet, questions remain about accountability and whether politics now play too large a role in crypto governance.
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