Changpeng Zhao has dismissed a Wall Road Journal (WSJ) report suggesting he’s discussing an funding cope with the household of US President Donald Trump in Binance.US, the American division of the worldwide Binance crypto alternate.
On March 13, Zhao took to X to refute the claims, calling the article an try and undermine each the US president and the crypto trade. He harassed that he had no involvement in any discussions concerning Binance.US.
The previous Binance CEO wrote:
“They in all probability requested a whole lot of individuals to have 20 individuals attain out to me. In essence, they tried laborious to make a narrative to report. Reality: I’ve had no discussions of a Binance US cope with … effectively, anybody.
Zhao additionally urged that lingering anti-crypto sentiment from the earlier US administration performed a task within the report, saying:
“Feels just like the article is motivated as an assault on the President and crypto, and the residual forces of the ‘warfare on crypto’ from the final administration are nonetheless at work.”
On the difficulty of a presidential pardon, the previous Binance CEO acknowledged:
“No felon would thoughts a pardon, particularly being the one one in US historical past who was ever sentenced to jail for a single BSA cost.”
WSJ report
In keeping with WSJ, President Trump’s household is allegedly exploring an funding in Binance.US.
The report additional claimed that these discussions included the potential for a presidential pardon for Zhao, who pleaded responsible to federal violations in late 2023.
Zhao’s plea settlement led to a $4.3 billion settlement for Binance and a four-month jail sentence for him. A presidential pardon may assist clear authorized obstacles for Binance and help its international growth.
WSJ additionally alleged that the Trump household may channel its funding by means of its DeFi enterprise, World Liberty Monetary (WLF). Moreover, the report linked Steve Witkoff, a WLF govt and Trump’s advisor on international negotiations, to the discussions.
In the meantime, this report emerges at a time when Binance.US fortunes have enormously improved within the US. The alternate just lately resumed USD deposits and withdrawals for its US clients and likewise noticed its authorized tussle with the US Securities and Alternate Fee (SEC) paused for 60 days.
CZ’s poor relationship with WSJ
Zhao has publicly criticized the WSJ a number of occasions for what he claims are false or deceptive studies about him and Binance.
Zhao responded to a WSJ article alleging nearer ties between Binance and Binance.US than beforehand disclosed. The report was primarily based on leaked Telegram messages and interviews with unnamed employees. In response, Zhao tweeted “4,” referencing his earlier instruction to his followers to disregard “FUD, pretend information, assaults, and many others.” This grew to become a meme inside the crypto neighborhood.
Zhao has constantly accused legacy media retailers, together with the WSJ, of spreading FUD about Binance and the broader crypto trade. He has repeatedly urged his followers to ignore such studies, framing them as sensationalist or biased in opposition to crypto.
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