Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao
U.S. President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire founder of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the decision Thursday, noting that Trump signed the order a day earlier.
“President Trump exercised his constitutional authority by issuing a pardon for Mr. Zhao, who was prosecuted by the Biden administration in their war on cryptocurrency,” Leavitt said. “In their desire to punish the cryptocurrency industry, the Biden administration pursued Mr. Zhao despite no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims.”
Zhao, 48, pleaded guilty in 2024 to failing to maintain an anti-money-laundering program, served four months in prison, and paid a $50 million fine
Zhao is linked to World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture launched earlier this year by Trump and his sons, Eric and Donald Jr.
According to Forbes, Zhao’s net worth is estimated at $85.6 billion.
Commenting on the decision, Trump said: “A lot of people say he wasn't guilty of anything. I don't know him, I don't believe I've ever met him, but I've been told ... he had a lot of support, and they said that what he did is not even a crime. It wasn't a crime that he was persecuted by the Biden administration, and so I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people."
Earlier, it was reported that U.S. President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of former Republican congressman George Santos, who had been serving time for fraud and identity theft.
