BNB and WLFI Surge After Trump Pardons Binance Founder CZ

President Donald Trump’s pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has sparked a rally in several politically linked cryptocurrencies. The most notable gainers include Binance’s native token BNB, which surged over 3.6% to an intraday high of $1,121, and World Liberty Financial (WLFI) a token tied to the Trump family’s crypto venture which jumped nearly 14% following the announcement.

The pardon, issued on October 23, cleared Zhao’s criminal record after he served a four-month sentence for anti money-laundering violations. The move followed months of lobbying and coincided with Trump’s growing involvement in the digital asset space. Critics, including U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, especially after Binance.US launched trading for USD1, a stablecoin tied to the Trump-linked WLFI platform.

Traders are now speculating that the pardon could signal a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment under Trump’s administration, fueling optimism for a broader altcoin rally. However, some analysts warn that the political entanglements could also invite scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers.

The White House is emerging as a strategic backer of high-profile crypto figures. President Donald Trump’s pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao who served four months in prison for violating the Bank Secrecy Act has cleared the path for his potential return to Binance’s leadership. The exchange itself was fined over $4 billion for compliance failures, while Zhao personally paid $50 million before stepping down.

Zhao had reportedly lobbied for the pardon for months, including efforts to promote World Liberty Financial, a Trump-affiliated crypto firm. His alignment with the administration’s crypto-friendly stance has fueled speculation that Binance could regain regulatory favor under Trump’s second term.

President Trump’s second-term embrace of crypto has led to a more relaxed regulatory climate, giving the industry room to breathe. From pardoning high-profile figures like Binance’s CZ to supporting Trump-linked tokens, the administration has positioned itself as a powerful ally to digital assets.

Still, prices haven’t responded with sustained momentum. Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies remain close to their January levels, suggesting that favorable policy alone isn’t enough to drive a breakout. Traders remain cautious, watching for stronger catalysts beyond political support.

Bitcoin briefly spiked 3% to 5% before retracing gains, while Binance’s BNB token surged between 8% and 15% across exchanges, settling up 4% over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGecko. Alt5 Sigma (ALTS), which holds Trump-linked WLFI tokens, rose over 11%, and WLFI itself jumped 15% a clear reaction to President Trump’s pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.

The White House declined to comment on the pardon’s background, though Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt framed Zhao’s prosecution as part of the Biden administration’s “war on cryptocurrency.” Binance has not confirmed whether CZ will return to a leadership role.

Zhao joins a growing list of crypto figures granted clemency by Trump, including Ross Ulbricht of Silk Road and the BitMEX cofounders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed highlighting the administration’s aggressive pro-crypto stance.