Trump's Potential Pardon of Changpeng Zhao Sparks 'Insider Knowledge' Debate
Following a presidential pardon, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao joked on social media that Donald Trump and Bitcoin’s creator Satoshi Nakamoto might be the same person, drawing political attention and online speculation.
Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao received an official pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump, as confirmed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The pardon was described as an exercise of presidential authority addressing previous charges from the Biden Administration’s crypto crackdown. In a lighthearted remark on X, Zhao suggested that Trump and Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, might be the same person. Trump had earlier stated that Zhao had significant public support and claimed his actions were not criminal. Zhao previously served a four-month sentence in 2023 for anti-money laundering violations and was released in September 2024. Democratic critics have raised concerns over possible financial ties between YZi Labs and Trump’s World Liberty Financial venture, viewing them as potential conflicts of interest.
- Pardon: A formal act by a head of state forgiving a person for federal crimes and nullifying penalties.
- Changpeng Zhao (CZ): The co-founder and former CEO of Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges globally.
- Satoshi Nakamoto: The pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, whose true identity remains unknown.