Following the pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao by former US President Donald Trump, speculation is mounting about Binance’s potential return to the United States. CZ’s recent X post emphasized his commitment to positioning America as the capital of crypto and advancing Web3 globally. The change in his social media bio from “ex-Binance” to simply “Binance” has further fueled rumors about his renewed involvement with the exchange and a possible U.S. comeback.
David Namdar, CEO of BNB Network Company, described CZ’s pardon as a pivotal moment that could open new opportunities for Binance and its native token BNB in the U.S. market. Despite being largely overlooked by Western investors, BNB saw a notable rally to all-time highs recently, signaling growing interest.
Binance’s potential return would offer U.S. retail traders access to the world’s largest centralized crypto exchange, potentially boosting trading volume and driving asset prices higher. Since 2019, Binance has operated Binance.US, a separate entity managed by BAM Trading Services, which complies with U.S. regulations but lacks access to the global exchange’s liquidity and crypto derivatives.
The pardon itself sparked polarized reactions. Trump highlighted that many in the crypto industry advocated for CZ’s clemency, calling him “persecuted” and questioning the legitimacy of his conviction. However, prominent Democratic lawmakers, including Maxine Waters and Elizabeth Warren, criticized the pardon as indicative of “pay-to-play” politics.
CZ, who pleaded guilty to violating the US Bank Secrecy Act by failing to maintain an effective Anti-Money Laundering program at Binance, resulting in a four-month prison sentence, confronted critics head-on, disputing claims that he was guilty of money laundering.
The evolving situation is closely watched by industry insiders as it could reshape the regulatory and market landscape for crypto in the United States.