๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐จ๐ง
ChangpengโCZโ Zhao, former CEO of Binance, recently addressed speculation about his potential return to the helm of the cryptocurrency exchange. On December 2, CZ responded to a post on X by John Lilic, Executive Director of the Telos Foundation, suggesting that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump consider pardoning CZ to enable his return as Binance CEO. While CZ firmly dismissed any interest in reclaiming the CEO position, he acknowledged that he โwouldnโt mindโ receiving a presidential pardon.
Lilicโs post advocated for the pardon, describing CZ as a victim of โlawfareโ and emphasizing his potential contributions to the crypto industryโs growth. CZ replied succinctly: โNo wish to be CEO again. But definitely wouldnโt mind a pardon.โ This response sparked significant support from the crypto community, with users rallying under hashtags like โFree CZโ and suggesting his potential as a government advocate for mass cryptocurrency adoption.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ
In late 2023, CZ accepted a plea agreement with U.S. authorities following charges related to Binanceโs operations, including facilitating transactions with sanctioned nations like Iran and Cuba. The settlement required Binance to pay $4.3 billion in fines, while CZ personally paid $50 million and stepped down as CEO. However, CZ clarified in a subsequent interview that his plea deal does not include a โlifetime banโ from managing crypto exchanges, countering rumors to the contrary.
Despite this clarification, CZ reiterated his lack of interest in returning to Binanceโs leadership. Instead, he expressed enthusiasm for empowering the next generation of innovators in the crypto space through mentorship and funding. Holding shareholder rights in Binance, CZ remains a significant figure in the industry, focusing on broader initiatives to drive crypto adoption and innovation rather than operational management.
