In October 2025, President Donald Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, after he pleaded guilty to violating US anti-money laundering laws. Zhao's legal troubles followed his involvement with Binance, which later established connections with World Liberty Financial, a crypto platform linked to the Trump family’s wealth.
A crypto trader who profited $190 million by shorting the market before a tariff announcement is now believed to have made another $56,522 by betting on President Trump's pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. While some speculate insider knowledge due to the timing of the trades, others argue that the pardon was widely anticipated in the crypto community.