Trump Denies Ties to Binance Founder CZ Despite Controversial Pardon
Former President Donald Trump has publicly denied any knowledge of Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao during a recent interview, despite having granted Zhao a presidential pardon last month. This development comes amid ongoing scrutiny over Binance's legal troubles and a reported $2 billion deal linked to the Trump family. Below is a detailed summary of the situation and its implications for the cryptocurrency industry.
Trump Denies Knowledge of Binance Founder CZ Despite Pardon, Dismisses Crypto Ties
President Donald TRUMP claimed unfamiliarity with Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao during a 60 Minutes interview, despite granting him a presidential pardon last month. When pressed on Zhao's 2023 guilty plea for anti-money laundering violations, Trump dismissed the case as a "Biden witch hunt." The founder received a four-month sentence.
Questions about Binance's $2 billion deal involving the Trump family-backed World Liberty Financial stablecoin were brushed aside. "I know nothing about it because I'm too busy," Trump said. His sons' crypto-related business activities were similarly deflected with the assertion that they're "running a business."
The exchange highlights ongoing tensions between political figures and the cryptocurrency sector. Trump's remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of regulatory enforcement and high-profile crypto cases.
Crypto Market Boom Post Trump Win: CZ Reveals Year of Growth
The digital asset industry has experienced significant expansion over the past year, with momentum accelerating following Donald Trump's presidential victory. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao highlights the market's robust performance post-election, underscoring a period of sustained growth for cryptocurrencies.
ASTER Token Surges 20% Following CZ's $2M Purchase Amid Whale Activity
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) triggered a 20% rally in decentralized exchange token ASTER after disclosing a $2 million personal purchase. The former CEO announced the acquisition on X, emphasizing a long-term holding strategy rather than speculative trading. On-chain data reveals the token's wallet became one of the largest on BNB Chain by USDT inflows following the endorsement.
Market dynamics show contrasting positions among major players. Two unidentified whales continue profiting from short positions, with gains totaling $7.3 million according to LookOnChain. Meanwhile, another entity withdrew $6.66 million worth of ASTER from Binance over six days, signaling accumulation. The token's volatility highlights its position as a prominent Web 3.0 project offering Leveraged trading services.
Miners Offload 210,000 BTC Amid Market Downturn, Binance Sees Significant Inflows
Bitcoin miners accelerated their sell-off in October, depositing 210,000 BTC onto exchanges, with Binance absorbing the majority of the inflows. The past week alone saw 122,000 BTC FLOW into Binance, signaling heightened preparation for profit-taking. This miner-driven supply has added downward pressure on BTC's price, which slid from a peak above $126,000 to $107,401 in early November.
Exchange data reveals a notable accumulation of BTC on Binance since mid-October, with 108,000 BTC added to its reserves. The selling coincides with mining stocks outperforming BTC itself, as investors pivot toward AI-computing narratives. Market participants now face the absorption of up to $10B in BTC, including whale-sized deposits exceeding 10,000 BTC on some days.
Miner reserves have dwindled to 1.89M BTC, down from over 2M a year ago. The divestment aligns with broader industry shifts, though exchange balances suggest buyers are stepping in to absorb the surplus supply.
Aster Defies Market Downturn with 10% Rally Following CZ Endorsement
Aster (ASTER) surged 10% in 24 hours despite broader crypto market declines, buoyed by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao's public purchase announcement. The token remains down 50.6% monthly, highlighting the fragility of sentiment-driven rallies.
CZ's X post confirming his personal ASTER acquisition on Binance triggered immediate buying pressure. The former CEO's influence persists despite his recent $4.3 billion settlement with regulators and political pardon.
Market analysts question the rally's sustainability as October 2025 saw record liquidations across crypto. ASTER's fundamentals remain untested against persistent macroeconomic headwinds facing digital assets.
CZ Deletes Post Denying Role in Kyrgyzstan’s New Crypto Bank Amid Conflicting Statements
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has removed an X post refuting his involvement in Kyrgyzstan’s newly approved Bereket Bank, a digital asset-focused commercial institution. The deletion follows President Sadyr Japarov’s claim that Zhao proposed the bank during a May 2024 meeting. The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan greenlit the project to advance the country’s crypto strategy, with reports linking Japarov’s son and a former Parliament Speaker as founders.
Zhao initially denied proposing the bank’s creation, stating he had no interest in running such an entity. His subsequent deletion of the denial post has fueled speculation. The contradiction emerged after a Coin Bureau report tied Zhao to the bank, prompting a correction. Japarov insists the venture is purely private, despite familial connections.
