Trump Grants Pardon to Binance Founder CZ, Says Crypto Persecution Is Over

Crypto News
Last updated October 24, 2025
Crypto News
Binance CZ

President Donald Trump has signed a pardon letter for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), citing sympathy for the political pressure that CZ and others faced following his conviction for banking violations.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump used his power to pardon CZ, who was targeted by Biden’s administration’s anti-crypto actions. She added that the government’s fight against crypto has ended.

Changpeng Zhao had been seeking a pardon from Trump after serving four months in prison for violating the Bank Secrecy Act and was forced to resign as Binance’s CEO following his guilty plea.

The pardon clears CZ’s conviction, paving the way for his return to Binance after stepping away from the company for nearly two years.

Meanwhile, TradingView data shows that BNB jumped from below $1,120 to an intraday high above $1,149, with the token gaining more than 7% in the past 24 hours and over 4% ever since the news broke.

Crypto Community Applauds Trump’s Pardon of CZ

In a post on X, Changpeng Zhao thanked Trump for the pardon and said he would help support the president’s goal of making the U.S. a global leader in crypto.

BitMEX co-founder joked that Changpeng Zhao has joined the club of crypto founders, noting that Trump had also pardoned him earlier this year after his 2022 money laundering case.

Additionally, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson congratulated CZ, saying Trump had corrected a grave injustice. He criticized the use of the Justice Department against the crypto industry, calling it a deep wound that will take time to heal.

Warren Condemns CZ’s Pardon 

On the contrary, Senator Elizabeth Warren, a leading critic of crypto under the Biden administration, condemned Trump’s decision to pardon Changpeng Zhao.

She said the Binance founder pleaded guilty to money laundering, then supported Trump’s crypto projects while seeking a pardon. She warned that if Congress doesn’t act against such corruption, it will be responsible for the resulting lawlessness

About Author

Charles Kibue

About Author

Charles Kibue

Charles Kibue

Contributor
Charles is a crypto journalist with years of hands-on experience in the blockchain world. He has a talent for turning complex crypto news into simple, clear stories. As a contributor to Coinnews and InsideBitcoins, Charles keeps readers up to date with accurate and easy-to-understand insights on the latest trends, tech, and market moves.
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