➡ How CZ got out of prison, received a pardon from Trump, and remained the richest person in crypto
CZ (Changpeng Zhao) is the founder of Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange. The New York Times has published an in-depth article about what he has been doing since leaving prison.
• In 2023, CZ pleaded guilty in a money laundering case and spent four months in a U.S. prison. In October 2025, Trump pardoned him
• After prison, CZ returned to the UAE and retained a controlling stake in Binance. The NYT estimates his fortune at $114 billion, while CZ himself puts it at $10–30 billion
• He now works as a “crypto diplomat”: meeting with presidents and senior officials and advising governments on crypto regulation. He has especially close ties with the UAE leadership
• The Emirati fund MGX invested $2 billion in Binance, valuing the exchange at around $75 billion. The transaction was made in USD1, a stablecoin (a cryptocurrency pegged to the dollar) issued by World Liberty Financial, a company linked to the Trump family. The deal instantly made it one of the largest stablecoins
• In 2025, World Liberty generated $799 million for Trump, making it his most profitable asset
CZ (Changpeng Zhao) is the founder of Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange. The New York Times has published an in-depth article about what he has been doing since leaving prison.
• In 2023, CZ pleaded guilty in a money laundering case and spent four months in a U.S. prison. In October 2025, Trump pardoned him
• After prison, CZ returned to the UAE and retained a controlling stake in Binance. The NYT estimates his fortune at $114 billion, while CZ himself puts it at $10–30 billion
• He now works as a “crypto diplomat”: meeting with presidents and senior officials and advising governments on crypto regulation. He has especially close ties with the UAE leadership
• The Emirati fund MGX invested $2 billion in Binance, valuing the exchange at around $75 billion. The transaction was made in USD1, a stablecoin (a cryptocurrency pegged to the dollar) issued by World Liberty Financial, a company linked to the Trump family. The deal instantly made it one of the largest stablecoins
• In 2025, World Liberty generated $799 million for Trump, making it his most profitable asset
