US President Donald Trump signed a pardon for the Binance founder on Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported, clearing the way for his possible return to the exchange.
US President Donald Trump has pardoned convicted Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, following months of lobbying and appeals from the company and its former CEO, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
President Trump signed the pardon on Wednesday, the people said, though no official details have been published on the White House website or in the Federal Register, where presidential pardons are typically announced.
Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of failing to implement an adequate Anti-Money Laundering (AML) program at Binance, violating the Bank Secrecy Act. As part of his plea, Zhao agreed to step down from his role at Binance.