The White House announced Thursday that the US. President Donald Trump has granted a pardon to Changpeng Zhao, the founder of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, in a move aimed at supporting the cryptocurrency industry and resolving some past issues.
It’s worth noting that Zhao, known by the nickname “CZ” and one of the most prominent influencers in the cryptocurrency world, stepped down as CEO of Binance in 2023 after the company pleaded guilty to anti-money laundering violations and was fined $4.3 billion.
A statement issued by White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt said that Zhao was prosecuted during the administration of former President Joe Biden “as part of its war on the crypto sector.”
It’s worth noting that the Trump family, after returning to the presidency, raised millions of dollars from cryptocurrency projects, moves that drew criticism from political rivals who suggested a potential conflict of interest. The White House denied these allegations, and Levitt confirmed today that all presidential pardons were carefully considered.
Deeply grateful for today’s pardon and to President Trump for upholding America’s commitment to fairness, innovation, and justice.
🙏🙏🙏🙏
Will do everything we can to help make America the Capital of Crypto and advance web3 worldwide.
(Still in flight, more posts to come.)…— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) October 23, 2025
In a post on the X platform, Zhao expressed his gratitude for the pardon and thanked President Trump, praising the US administration’s adherence to the principles of fairness, innovation, and justice, and emphasizing the effort to make the United States a global hub for the crypto industry.
