How Changpeng Zhao regained power between prison and pardon
After serving four months for AML violations, Changpeng Zhao rebuilt influence through YZi Labs, memecoin promotion, and government advisory roles, culminating in a presidential pardon.Summary
Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao spent a year rebuilding influence following his four-month prison sentence for violating US Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules, which included a $50 million personal fine and a lifetime ban from executive roles at Binance. Over the year following his September 2024 release, Zhao shifted focus to YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs), where he took a mentoring role, and actively supported the BNB Chain ecosystem. His influence was evident through X posts that spurred a wave of BNB memecoin speculation and his advisory roles in countries like Malaysia, Pakistan, and Kyrgyzstan, which adopted BNB Chain for state-backed digital assets. Zhao also publicly sought clemency, which led to conflict with The Wall Street Journal over allegations of courting influence through the Trump family. This process concluded on October 23, 2025, when he received a pardon from US President Donald Trump, allowing him to continue his activities, including fighting FTX's lawsuit against Binance and supporting fast-growing BNB Chain projects like Aster.
(Source：Cointelegraph)