Binance Founder CZ Says He Applied for President Trump Pardon

By: bitcoin ethereum news|2025/05/09 15:45:02

In brief Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao told Rug Radio that he applied for a pardon from President Trump. The former Binance CEO dismissed reports that he attempted to swap Binance.US equity for it. After completing his four-month prison sentence for money laundering charges last year, Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao said recently that he has begun the application process for a pardon from President Trump. In an exclusive interview with Farokh Sarmad of Rug Radio, Decrypt ’s sister company, Zhao called out false reports about his pardon pleas, dismissing claims that he was attempting to offload Binance.US equity in exchange for a pardon. “There’s a lot of news articles saying I’m trying to exchange Binance.US equity for a pardon,” Zhao said. “That’s completely not true. I’ve had zero discussions about Binance.US equity with anyone.” Instead, Zhao said that he’s working with lawyers and taking necessary legal steps to apply for a pardon, which he admitted he “certainly wouldn’t mind” receiving. “There are legal means to apply,” Zhao told Sarmad. “I’ve got lawyers applying.” According to the former Binance frontman, that process only began in the recent weeks, after a report from the Wall Street Journal surfaced claims about an equity exchange for a pardon. “I think we only submitted the application two weeks ago,” he said during last week’s interview from Token2049 Dubai, adding that the inaccurate news stories only fueled his desire to do so. “If they’re writing these articles, we might as well officially apply, right?” said Zhao. Trump has already pardoned a handful of notable crypto personalities, including Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht in the first days of his second term. Ulbricht had spent more than a decade behind bars on charges of money laundering in connection to the marketplace—which was fueled by Bitcoin payments—and conspiracy to traffic narcotics. At the end of March, he also granted a pardon to Arthur Hayes and his BitMEX co-founders Benjamin Delo and Samuel Reed. The trio pleaded guilty in 2022 to failing to operate an anti-money laundering operation, a violation of the Bank Secrecy Act. With his application submitted, Zhao joins a couple other notable crypto industry players in seeking pardons: Roger “Bitcoin Jesus” Ver , and reportedly also former FTX boss Sam Bankman-Fried , per media reports. Daily Debrief Newsletter Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more. Source: https://decrypt.co/318616/binance-founder-cz-applies-trump-pardon

April 8, 2026 – A temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has provided some immediate relief to the global markets, but the fundamental question remains: Will the cessation of hostilities hold, or is this merely a brief reprieve before a resumption of conflict? As the situation unfolds, market observers are closely monitoring how key assets like oil, gold, and Bitcoin will react in the coming weeks. This article explores whether the ceasefire is a sign of lasting peace, assesses the short-term market implications, and delves into the evolving role of Bitcoin in the global financial landscape.

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April 8, 2026 – In a significant shift in global geopolitics, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a temporary two-week ceasefire with Iran, resulting in a notable market reaction across various asset classes. This development comes after discussions between Trump, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and Army Chief General Asim Munir. The announcement is already reverberating through markets, particularly in oil, gold, and cryptocurrencies.

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