From Prison to Powerhouse: CZ’s Pardon Ignites Crypto Rally

Framing it as a reversal of the Biden, President Donald Trump granted Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) a full pardon on October 23, 2025. The administration's strong "war on cryptocurrency" is emphasized by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who notes the absence of claims of fraud or victims in CZ's case. CZ admitted anti-money laundering offenses in November 2023 and received a four-month prison sentence in 2024; Binance forked over a stunning $4.3 billion in penalties. The move emphasizes Trump's promise to advocate for crypto innovation, therefore establishing the U.S. as a worldwide center for Web3 development.

Markets exploded with delight. BNB, Binance's native currency, shot 5–6% from $1,100 to $1,146 in only a few hours. CZ-backed ventures like ASTER surged almost 14%, exceeding the general rise. Optimism swirled through the cryptocurrency environment as experts lauded the event as among the most seismic in its history, perhaps boosting exchange tokens and DeFi assets within a regulatory melt-down. Secondary waves could reach institutional participants, therefore promoting more acceptance as the pardon alleviates concerns about prosecutorial excess.

With Polymarket gamblers estimating a 62%, CZ wasted little time in tweeting his resolve to turn America into the "Capital of Crypto" and further Web3 globally. chance of his Binance return by year's end. Industry voices differed greatly: Cardano's Charles Hoskinson lauded it as correcting a "grave injustice," while Senator Elizabeth Warren denounced it as utter "corruption." Eventually, this daring move signals a pro-crypto policy shift, promising lighter rules, increased institutional inflows, and a greater U.S. edge in the global digital asset race, as well as freeing CZ.