US President Donald Trump has made a decision that has resonated throughout the crypto world. President Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the co-founder and former CEO of Binance. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that this step was taken to "end the Biden administration's war on crypto."
Leavitt stated, "President Trump has exercised his constitutional authority to pardon Mr. Zhao to end the Biden administration's unjust war on the cryptocurrency industry."
Trump's "crypto-friendly" message
Trump responded to questions at the press conference, saying, "Yes, I pardoned him. You're talking about the crypto world, right? Many people said he was innocent." Trump, who stated that he didn't know Zhao personally, said, "I don't know him, but a lot of good people have made requests for him. They said what he did wasn't a crime. And I listened to them." Trump's pardon was interpreted as a continuation of his crypto-friendly policy. Trump, who has pardoned figures like Ross Ulbricht since taking office, recently introduced the World Liberty Financial (WLFI) project and made headlines with his promises, "We will make America the capital of crypto."
CZ Returns to the Stage
Binance founder CZ was accused of failing to maintain effective anti-money laundering controls as part of a 2023 settlement with US authorities and received a four-month prison sentence. The company, meanwhile, agreed to a $4.3 billion fine at the same time.
Zhao, who completed his sentence in September 2024, is now officially cleared of his criminal record following the pardon. This allows him to freely enter the US and resume business activities in the country. Furthermore, the "stay out of office" clause in the 2023 settlement becomes void after the pardon. This strongly signals that Zhao may return to the Binance ecosystem. Zhao, in a brief statement from his X account, said, “I am deeply grateful. We will do everything we can to make America the capital of crypto.”
Rapid Market Reaction
Following the amnesty, the market reacted immediately positively. The price of Binance’s native token, BNB, increased by nearly 4 percent, reaching over $1,140. According to current market data, BNB’s market capitalization reached $157 billion. At the same time, the Trump-backed WLFI token gained over 15 percent. Investors believe this development signals a shift in the general perception of crypto in the US. Experts believe the “CZ amnesty” could symbolize a return to Washington’s crypto-friendly policies.
Trump’s decision is a striking message on both political and economic fronts. It could mark the return of an era that paved the way for cryptocurrencies and encouraged innovation over regulation.
