1: Commit Crime  2: Praise Trump and Make Big Donations  3: Get pardon

Trump Pardons Convicted Binance Founder

The Wall Street Journal reports Trump Pardons Convicted Binance Founder

President Trump has pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the convicted founder of the crypto exchange Binance, according to people familiar with the matter, following months of efforts by Zhao to boost the Trump family's own crypto company.

The president signed the pardon on Wednesday, the people said. Trump recently indicated to advisers that he was sympathetic to arguments of political persecution related to Zhao and others, one of the people said.

A pardon will likely pave the way for Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, to return to the U.S. after the company pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating U.S. anti-money-laundering requirements and was barred from operating in the country.

Since Trump's election, Binance has also been a key supporter of his family's World Liberty Financial crypto venture, a business that has driven a huge leap in the president's personal wealth.