Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao amid documented business ties between Binance and the family's stablecoin
Zhao's team paid a Trump-connected lobbying firm $1.3 million; Trump later said of Zhao, 'I don't know who he is.'
Binance
Crypto exchange founded by Changpeng Zhao; reported recipient of a $2 billion investment denominated in World Liberty's USD1 stablecoin. Zhao disputes any Trump business relationship.
Profile sources: The Wall Street Journal
Claims involving Binance (2)
Abu Dhabi state-backed MGX settled its $2 billion Binance investment in USD1, the Trump-family-linked stablecoin
The May 1, 2025 announcement was made onstage by WLF co-founder Zach Witkoff alongside Eric Trump.
Documented relationships (3)
Swipe table horizontally to inspect every relationship field →
| Subject | Relationship | Object | Establishes / does not establish | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binance | contracted with | World Liberty Financial | A reported business relationship including a $2 billion investment into Binance denominated in World Liberty's USD1 stablecoin, per WSJ. Does not establish: The relationship's terms. Changpeng Zhao denies any business relationship with the Trumps; the dispute is recorded on the related claim. | The Wall Street Journal |
| Changpeng Zhao (CZ) | officer of | Binance | Founder of Binance. Does not establish: — | The New York Times |
| MGX | invested in | Binance | A $2 billion investment announced March 12, 2025 and settled in USD1, per Reuters and The Guardian. Does not establish: That the choice of settlement currency was connected to any U.S. government action. | Reuters The Guardian |
On the timeline
- 2025-03-13 Business Reported Trump-family talks about a stake in Binance.US
- 2025-05-01 Business USD1 announced as the stablecoin closing MGX's $2 billion Binance investment
- 2025-10-21 Official acts Full pardon signed for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao