In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump has officially pardoned Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, stating that he was convinced by “many people” who claimed CZ had done nothing wrong.
The presidential pardon was signed on Wednesday, with Binance confirming the order to Cointelegraph.
During a press conference on Thursday, Trump explained his decision:
> “I don’t know him personally, but I’ve been told he has massive support. They said what he did isn’t even a crime — it was persecution by the Biden Administration.”
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⚖️ Looking Back: The Case Against CZ
CZ was previously sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to a Bank Secrecy Act violation related to Binance’s anti–money laundering program.
However, his attorney Teresa Goody Guillén argued the punishment was excessive, noting:
> “It was a single compliance charge — no fraud, no victims, no criminal history, no money laundering.”
She emphasized that CZ was the first known first-time offender in U.S. history to receive a prison sentence for such a non-fraud-related charge.
> “The judge found no evidence that CZ was aware of any illicit transactions,” she added.
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💪 CZ’s Response: “Grateful and Ready to Build Again”
Following the pardon, CZ expressed his gratitude on X, writing that he’s “deeply thankful” and committed to making America the Capital of Crypto while advancing Web3 innovation worldwide.
As part of his earlier plea deal, CZ stepped down as Binance CEO and was barred from holding any role at the exchange — a restriction that the pardon could now overturn.