xdm, today little k is going to talk about a magical realism drama - the big shots in the crypto circle are lining up to ask for a Trump pardon! CZ, SBF, Roger Ver are frantically submitting applications, even 'Dark Web King' Ross Ulbricht is out early, boohoo! Is this a political deal or an industry redemption? Little k will take you through the power games behind it!
1. Who is applying for a pardon? The 'survival instincts' of the big shots in the crypto circle.
① CZ (Zhao Changpeng) - Father of Binance.
- Charges: Violating the Bank Secrecy Act, sentenced to 4 months + fined 50 million dollars.
- Demands: Money laundering charges cannot be dismissed, but wants to return to Binance.US management.
- Current situation: Lawyer has submitted an application, Trump once praised CZ as 'very smart'.
② SBF (Sam Bankman-Fried) - King of FTX fraud.
- Charges: Defrauding clients of 11 billion dollars, sentenced to 25 years in prison.
- Crazy moves:
- Parents are frantically lobbying Trump's legal team.
- Tweeting from prison 'layoffs are tough' (suspected to appeal to anti-elite sentiment).
- Chances: Extremely low! He donated 40 million dollars to the Democrats, Trump holds a grudge.
③ Roger Ver (Bitcoin Jesus) - Tax evader.
- Charges: Tax evasion + renouncing US citizenship, facing 7 years in prison.
- Strategy: Spend money to hire Trump's lawyers, play the 'political persecution' card.
Little k's sharp commentary:
The applications of these three big shots are simply 'the crypto version of Squid Game' -
CZ has the best chance, SBF is purely dreaming, Roger Ver is just hoping for luck! (Boohoo, don't hit me)
2. Big shots already pardoned: Trump's 'crypto allies' list.
① Ross Ulbricht (Founder of Silk Road).
- Original sentence: Double life sentences (40 years without parole).
- Reason for pardon: Trump said 'he has served 11 years, it's time to go home~'.
- Symbolic Meaning: The founder of Bitcoin's first use case is released, the crypto community is ecstatic.
② Arthur Hayes (Founder of BitMEX).
- Original sentence: 6 months of house arrest + 10 million dollar fine.
- Current situation: Transition to lobbying for crypto policy after pardon, becoming Trump's think tank.
Little k's bold theory:
Trump's move is clearly 'pardon crypto big shots, exchange for industry support' -
During the 2024 election, the crypto circle donated 200 million dollars to him, it's time to repay~
3. Trump's calculations: Why become the crypto 'savior'?
① Political donations in return.
- Coinbase, A16Z, and others are making crazy donations to support Trump.
- Crypto PAC (Fairshake) spends 200 million dollars to support election.
② Attracting young voters.
- Pardoning Ross = appeasing libertarians + anti-establishment forces.
- Pardoning CZ = sending love to Asian American voters 💖.
③ Undermining Biden's legacy.
- Overturning the SEC's former chairman Gary Gensler's 'crypto crackdown' policy.
- Shaping the image of a 'Blockchain President' to pave the way for 2028.
Little k's summary:
This is not a pardon, it's a 'benefit exchange between the crypto industry and the White House'! Boohoo, the adult world is so complicated~
4. Industry impact: What will the wave of pardons bring?
Positive news:
- Regulatory loosening: SEC may slow down enforcement, favorable for exchanges.
- Market confidence rebounds: Big shots getting out of prison = all bad news is out.
Negative news:
- Compliance regression: Crime costs decrease, scammers become more rampant.
- SEC counterattack: Gensler's faction may sue Trump for 'abuse of pardon power'.
Ultimate soul-searching question:
1. Do you think Trump will pardon CZ? Dare to bet? (Little k is betting 5 BNB!)
2. If SBF is released, can FTX victims sue him? (His wallet is cleaner than his face, right?)
Little k is waiting for you to passionately engage in the comments!
PS: The next to apply for a pardon might be Do Kwon, do you believe it?