Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has denied any relationship with US President Donald Trump and his family. This comes in response to talk surrounding Trump’s October 2025 pardon.
CZ says he has never met President Trump
In one interview with FOX News on Friday, November 7, Zhao revealed that he was “a little surprised” by the US president’s decision to pardon him. The Binance co-founder pleaded guilty to anti-money laundering (AML) violations in 2023.
While the former CEO of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange agreed to a significant $4.3 billion fine on behalf of his company, he was forced to resign and given a four-month prison sentence. CZ was released from prison in September 2024, but this presidential pardon expunges his record of criminal conviction.
While multiple reports claim that Binance and CZ have lobbied for the co-founder’s pardon through business deals, there have been several rebuttals to such controversial claims. In a Nov. 3 interview, Trump stated that he did not know the cryptocurrency founder, crediting his sons for pushing for a pardon.
Now CZ has come forward that he has no business ties to the Trump family or their cryptocurrency project, World Liberty Financial. “That’s not right at all. There is no deal, there have never been any discussions. It’s that simple,” said the leader of Binance.
CZ also addressed his decision to plead guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act, including the failure to implement adequate anti-money laundering measures at Binance. The prominent crypto founder said “the best way is to face the problem and solve it head-on.”
US leader in crypto regulation: CZ
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s decision to grant clemency to cryptocurrencies was a way to “officially end the Biden administration’s war on the cryptocurrency industry.” In the FOX interview, Zhao highlighted the GENIUS Act as a step in the right direction for the United States in leading crypto regulation.
The former CEO of Binance believes that increased regulatory clarity is an excellent development for the crypto industry. “I think during the last administration, even when I was charged and even when I pleaded guilty, there was no clear regulatory framework for crypto in the US, so I think it’s becoming much clearer now, and [the] The US is definitely leading,” CZ added.
The total crypto market cap on the daily timeframe | Source: TOTAL chart on TradingView
Featured image of Binance, chart from TradingView
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