Trump Pardons Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao

2 mins mins

Key Points:

U.S. Presidential pardon granted to Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.
Pardon relates to Anti-Money Laundering compliance issues.
Changpeng Zhao to focus on family office and advisory roles.

On October 21, 2025, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao received a presidential pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice’s clemency register.

This pardon impacts the cryptocurrency industry, potentially influencing Binance’s market position and CEO Changpeng Zhao’s future involvement in advisory and investment initiatives.

Changpeng Zhao’s Pardon Announced by President Trump

Changpeng Zhao’s pardon was confirmed through the U.S. Department of Justice clemency register following an acknowledgment by President Trump. Zhao had previously been sentenced for failing to uphold an effective anti-money laundering program, which also included a $50 million fine and four months’ imprisonment.

The pardon transforms Zhao’s capacity to operate within the cryptocurrency industry. It allows him to allocate more attention to his family office, YZi Labs, emphasizing investment ventures, alongside accepting invitations to advise world governments on the crypto industry.

As of the current information available, no direct quotes or public statements from Changpeng Zhao (CZ) regarding his presidential pardon have been found on his verified channels or those of Binance.

Historical Pardons Impacting Crypto Markets: A Closer Look

Did you know? The presidential pardon for CZ follows a similar clemency trend for BitMEX founders, which resulted in market stabilization after initial volatility.

According to CoinMarketCap, BNB is trading at $1,154.96, with a market cap of $159.08 billion. It holds a market dominance of 4.10%, with a 24-hour trading volume of $3.82 billion, reflecting a 2.28% price change in a day and a 39.52% increase over 90 days.

bnb-daily-chart-193 — BNB(BNB), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 11:30 UTC on October 27, 2025. *Source: CoinMarketCap*

Experts from the Coincu research team highlight the market’s usual resilience post-legal resolutions, suggesting potential stability for BNB. Historical trends indicate the legal clearance of industry leaders often translates into positive short-term price performance for associated tokens.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.