Reporting examines Binance-WLF support and USD1 links before Zhao's pardon
Reporting and findings
- reported
CBS reported that sources said Binance donated software used by World Liberty Financial and described the later $2 billion MGX investment settled with USD1 before Trump's pardon of Zhao. Counsel for Zhao and Binance denied providing technical support, personnel, or other resources; WLF counsel said Binance supplied freely available software only to save development time and said WLF neither contacted Trump about Zhao nor played a role in the pardon. AP separately reported Zhao's lawyer denied any link or quid pro quo between Binance's Trump-family business and the pardon.
- CBS News / 60 Minutes: Trump pardon of crypto billionaire sparks concerns over his use of the pardon power60 Minutes transcript, paragraphs 115–167: source accounts, MGX/USD1 sequence, Trump statement, and Binance/WLF denials
- Associated Press: Trump family deal spree could open door for future presidents to profit from officeUAE, crypto and Binance section: $500 million and $2 billion transactions and Zhao counsel's quid-pro-quo denial
- Kitco News: Trump's stablecoin chosen for $2 billion Abu Dhabi investment in Binance
- U.S. Department of Justice: Clemency Grants by President Donald J. Trump, 2025 to PresentOctober 21, 2025 pardon row
Summary and current status
CBS documented competing accounts of Binance technical support and the $2 billion USD1 transaction; Zhao, Binance, and WLF denied key support or pardon-link claims.
Pardoned October 21, 2025; Binance-WLF technical-support accounts remain disputed
People and organizations
- Changpeng ZhaoTrump pardon recipient and Binance founder
- Donald J. Trumpnetwork root
Relationships in this file
- Donald J. TrumpTrump pardon recipient amid disputed Binance-WLF linksChangpeng Zhao
Money trail
investmentMGX investment settled through USD1$2 billion - Reported investor / source
- MGX
- Reported investment recipient
- Binance