International cryptocurrency exchange Binance has announced an expansion of its partnership with World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's startup. This development follows closely after President Donald Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, Binance's convicted founder, less than a week ago. The move highlights ongoing ties between the Trump family and the crypto industry.
On October 28, 2025, Binance revealed plans to deepen its collaboration with World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency initiative linked to the Trump family. The announcement comes mere days after President Donald Trump issued a pardon to Changpeng Zhao, who founded Binance and pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in 2023.
Zhao's conviction stemmed from Binance's failure to comply with anti-money laundering laws, allowing sanctioned countries and terrorist groups to process transactions through the platform. To obtain the pardon, Zhao employed Ches McDowell, a lawyer and lobbyist known as a longtime associate of Trump.
Binance has played a key role in promoting World Liberty Financial's stablecoin, USD1, which has driven significant growth in the venture. Since Trump took office, the Trump family has earned hundreds of millions of dollars from World Liberty Financial, with funding from entities connected to Russia, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
In response to the partnership expansion, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer stated: "Less than a week after Trump pardoned convicted money-launderer Changpeng Zhao, the two of them struck a lucrative business deal to line Trump’s pockets. As if his pay-for-play pardon for Zhao wasn’t enough, Trump will now make even MORE money from his family’s long-standing partnership with Binance and their shady relationships with foreign countries. Trump continues to get his hands dirty with money-hungry crooks as he sells out the American people to enrich himself."
This partnership underscores the intersection of politics and cryptocurrency, though details on the specific terms of the expansion remain limited.