Binance Founder CZ Confirms Official Pardon Request To Trump

After denying the rumors, Changpeng Zhao (CZ) finally confirmed having requested a presidential pardon from Donald Trump. The Binance founder, convicted of money laundering in 2023, hopes to ease the restrictions imposed on him since his release from prison.

From Denial to Confirmation: CZ’s Reversal

During an episode of the Farokh Radio podcast aired on May 6, Changpeng Zhao acknowledged that his lawyers had filed a presidential pardon request about two weeks earlier.

This reversal comes after he firmly denied the information published by Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal in March, which claimed he was seeking clemency from Trump.

“I have lawyers who made a request,” he stated, adding that he had ultimately decided to “officially apply” following those press articles.

CZ also specified that the recent pardon granted by Trump to the three BitMEX founders, including Arthur Hayes, encouraged him in this approach.

This request comes amid persistent rumors about possible negotiations between the Trump family and Binance for acquiring a stake in the exchange’s American subsidiary. The Wall Street Journal revealed in March that these discussions reportedly began in 2024, while CZ was serving his sentence.

A Conviction That Limits His Influence on Binance

In November 2023, Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to money laundering as part of an agreement with U.S. authorities.

This settlement cost Binance $4.3 billion, of which $50 million was paid personally by CZ. He was also forced to resign from his CEO position.

Sentenced to four months in prison, the entrepreneur was also barred from working at Binance under the terms of his plea agreement.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a presidential pardon would not erase his conviction but could potentially allow him to resume a managerial role at Binance US.

Despite this approach, CZ states that he does not want to return to lead Binance. “I feel the team is doing well and doesn’t need me“, he said during the Binance Blockchain Week in November.

Since his release from prison, he has transitioned into a role as an advisor in Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan on crypto regulation matters.

This potential pardon and the Trump-Binance rapprochement could mark a turning point in U.S. crypto regulation. After years of tension between authorities and exchange platforms, this strategic alliance could signal a new, more favorable approach to the sector, consolidating the United States’ position as a welcoming ground for blockchain innovation.