Thunderstruck in the crypto world: Donald Trump has just pardoned Changpeng CZ Zhao, the founder of Binance, convicted of violating anti-money laundering rules. An explosive political decision that marks a major turning point in the relationship between Washington and the crypto industry.
Unexpected Return of CZ Thanks to Trump’s Pardon
Convicted in 2024 to four months in prison after pleading guilty to deficiencies in controlling Binance’s financial flows, Changpeng Zhao had become the symbol of an era of repression under the Biden administration. The giant Binance, on the other hand, received a record $4.3 billion fine for violations of international sanctions and anti-money laundering regulations.
A year later, the tide turns. In announcing the presidential pardon, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt accused the Biden administration of having waged a “war on cryptocurrencies without victims or proven fraud”. She added: “This war is now over.”
Trump Capitalizes on Crypto
The gesture towards CZ is not random. Since returning to power, Donald Trump has been sending signals of openness to the digital asset sector. His own companies reportedly made over a billion dollars in pre-tax profits from their crypto activities, according to recent estimates.
With this pardon, Trump sends a clear message: crypto is no longer the enemy but a strategic pillar of the new American economy. This political shift could rewrite the rules of the game for the entire ecosystem, from exchange platforms to stablecoins, and broadly named Crime Season in the ecosystem.
A Wave of Pardons in the Crypto Sphere
CZ is not an isolated case. Before him, Trump had already pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road, as well as several former employees of the BitMEX platform. A series of decisions that are part of an assumed strategy: to attract crypto investors and reposition the United States as a haven for blockchain innovation.
This presidential pardon could trigger shockwaves far beyond American borders. By bringing such an influential figure as CZ back into the spotlight, Trump restores confidence to an industry scorched by years of prosecutions and conflicting regulations.
The founder of Binance, now free of any charges, could regain a central position in the global crypto sphere. And behind this decision, a realization emerges: in the United States, crypto policy has become a real instrument of power.
