Binance co-founder Zhao Changpeng has received a pardon from US President Donald Trump after he went to prison for failing to safeguard the world’s largest crypto exchange against money laundering.
“President Trump exercised his constitutional authority by issuing a pardon for Mr Zhao, who was prosecuted by the Biden administration in their war on cryptocurrency,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.
Zhao wrote in a social media post that he was “deeply grateful for today’s pardon and to President Trump for upholding America’s commitment to fairness, innovation, and justice”.
“Will do everything we can to help make America the Capital of Crypto,” Zhao added.
The guilty plea was part of a broader deal struck with the US government, which included a US$4.3 billion settlement with Binance.
