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President Trump said he has “no idea” who 
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is, despite granting him a pardon last month. The comment follows scrutiny over Trump-linked ventures with Binance and his family’s growing crypto empire.
What's the scoop?
- Pardon Confusion: Trump told 60 Minutes he didn’t know who CZ was, even though he pardoned him in October after his 2023 conviction for failing to prevent money laundering at Binance.
- Business Ties: Binance has become financially entangled with World Liberty Financial, a Trump-associated crypto platform that sends 75% of its revenue to a company tied to the Trump family. CZ's pardon came weeks after Abu Dhabi’s MGX announced a $2B deal with Binance using World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin.
- Trump’s Justification: He called CZ a “victim of the Biden administration,” claiming his pardon aimed to “make America number one in crypto.” He said: "They sent him to jail and they really set him up. That’s my opinion. I was told about it."
Bankless take:
Trump’s denial of knowing about CZ feels like political theater meant to deflect corruption optics while signaling loyalty to the crypto vote. That said, his administration’s aggressive pro-crypto pivot—complete with pardons, deregulation, and rhetoric about “American dominance”—cements digital assets as a defining wedge issue of his presidency.
