CZ Trump Pardon: Binance Founder Denies Any Trump Family Ties

The CZ Trump Pardon has drawn global attention, merging politics with cryptocurrency on a global scale. In his first detailed interview since receiving clemency, Changpeng Zhao said the pardon came as a surprise and denied having any contact or deal with Donald Trump or his family. 

He said he met Eric Trump only once during a Bitcoin event in Abu Dhabi. He clarified that the encounter had nothing to do with Binance or the pardon.

Zhao admitted his 2023 guilty plea for neglecting oversight at Binance. He served a four-month sentence and said he believed taking responsibility was important to move on. Now that the CZ Trump Pardon is as good as behind him, he says his main goal is to help the U.S. maneuver toward a robust crypto industry via understandable regulation and transparency.

Trump Frames CZ Trump Pardon as Crypto Growth Strategy

When asked about the decision, Donald Trump said he had never even heard of Zhao. He said the CZ Trump Pardon was not really about relations, but rather supporting innovation in digital finance.

The last administration was unfair to Zhao, Trump said. America needs to lead in the evolution of crypto, he said, for the country to remain competitive with China and Japan.

Trump also said that although he was less involved in the cryptocurrency space than his sons, he realizes how critical the sector is to an economy’s development.

He cautioned that if the U.S. doesn’t support innovation, the industry will go offshore. He framed the CZ Trump Pardon as yet another piece of his overall push to help grow blockchain and digital assets in the country.

Congress Scrutinizes CZ Trump Pardon Amid Crypto Controversy

The CZ Trump Pardon pursued a congressional investigation brought on by Representative Robert Garcia. He asked for any official correspondence between the White House, Binance and the Trump family. 

The reports that Binance had promoted a stablecoin tied to President Trump’s family members raised concerns. Garcia insisted on the full release of records and requested all records by November 20,2025.

Zhao’s conviction has been vacated, and he is a free man once more. President Trump has publicly disowned the decision. The pardon wasn’t personal, he said in a speech, and was dedicated to promoting crypto growth in the U.S.

Speaking to “60 Minutes,” Trump said he knew little about Zhao and dismissed the former case as a “Biden witch hunt.” The CZ Trump Pardon is an indication that cryptocurrency has now emerged into normal politics, analysts say. It indicates that digital assets have become an influence on national policy and global finance.