Trump Pardons Binance Founder CZ

President Trump issued a full pardon to Binance founder Changpeng CZ Zhao, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to U.S. anti‑money‑laundering violations, served about four months in prison, resigned, and was part of a roughly $4.3 billion civil settlement in which Binance paid the bulk and Zhao personally paid $50 million. As part of the settlement Binance had agreed to exit the U.S. market and suspend American operations. The White House framed the pardon as a pro‑crypto move and Trump said he acted at the recommendation of many people, with aides criticizing prior prosecutions as a war on cryptocurrency. Critics including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and tech investor Joe Lonsdale said the pardon creates an appearance of favoritism or corruption, pointing to reported financial ties between Zhao/Binance and Trump‑linked crypto ventures such as World Liberty Financial and a related $2 billion transaction. Markets reacted quickly, with Binance’s BNB token rising roughly 3–5% amid volume spikes and some technical analysts noting consolidation around $1,080–$1,130. Analysts and industry voices say the pardon could facilitate Zhao’s return to Binance operations or U.S. relisting while prompting intensified scrutiny of presidential clemency and pending crypto market‑structure legislation.