According to WSJ, US President Donald Trump recently officially signed a pardon for Changpeng Zhao (CZ) - founder of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange Binance, ending one of the most shocking cases in the history of the crypto industry.
The information was confirmed this morning (Washington time), marking a symbolic turning point for the Trump administration's policy change in its second term, with an orientation "more friendly to blockchain technology and digital assets".
Previously, in November 2023, Binance admitted to several violations related to anti-money laundering regulations in the US and accepted a record fine of $ 4.3 billion. This event caused CZ to resign as CEO and was banned from any executive Vai in the company for three years. The US Department of Justice also appointed two independent monitors to monitor Binance's compliance activities during this period.
After a trial in Seattle in 2024, CZ was sentenced to four months in prison for failing to properly monitor the exchange’s anti-money laundering system. Despite his short sentence, the case left a strong mark on the crypto community. Since his release from prison, CZ has kept a low profile, focusing on blockchain education projects and philanthropy.
However, Donald Trump's signing of a pardon for CZ caused an immediate positive reaction in the global cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin prices skyrocketed within hours of the news being announced.
