President Trump’s pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao in October is back in the news after a recent investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) alleged that CZ and Binance continued to profit from hundreds of millions of dollars in suspicious transactions after Binance’s guilty plea and before Trump’s pardon of CZ. Trump’s World Liberty crypto project has also been mentioned in the investigation.
The White House cast CZ as a casualty of what it called the Biden administration’s “war on crypto,” before Trump denied knowing who the Binance founder was and that he was pardoned on the recommendation of those around him.
The World Liberty crypto token, WLFI, is up +2% on the day, signaling strength from the President’s DeFi project amid a shaky market that sees Bitcoin
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indecisive at $95K, unable to reclaim $100K but holding above $90K, for now.
NEW: I'm told 60 Minutes is planning to release a new piece looking at The Trumps' growing crypto empire and his controversial pardon of Binance founder CZ
In August, producers on 60 Minutes reached out to me.
Here's why the biggest name in news turned to a small crypto outlet:… pic.twitter.com/qj2tG3yoH5
— Zack Guzmán ♻️ (@zGuz) November 8, 2025
CZ Pardon Still Dominating Headlines a Month Later
Binance detractors are still grumbling about Trump’s pardon of CZ. The ICIJ investigation highlights that the Binance founder’s legal troubles were substantial, with CZ and the exchange admitting in November 2023 to operating without basic anti–money laundering safeguards.
US authorities said the company enabled transactions tied to terrorists, cybercriminals, and child abusers. CZ stepped down as CEO, and Binance promised reform.
According to the ICIJ investigation, Binance continued to profit from hundreds of millions of dollars in suspicious transactions after its guilty plea and before CZ’s pardon by Trump.
While under court-appointed monitoring, Binance is alleged to have received at least $408M in cryptocurrency from Huione Group, a Cambodia-based operation used by Chinese crime networks to launder funds from human trafficking and large-scale scam operations.
Binance quickly responded to the accusations, claiming that it cooperates closely with global law enforcement and cannot block deposits due to the structure of blockchain technology.
The investigation also uncovered instances where funds tied to violent drug networks moved through mainstream platforms. A Binance-hosted address linked by the US Treasury to a Sinaloa cartel money launderer received over $700,000 from Coinbase accounts.
DISCOVER: The 12+ Hottest Crypto Presales to Buy Right Now
Justin Sun World Liberty Crypto Investment Also Under the Microscope
By August 2025, Tron (TRX) founder Justin Sun had become one of the largest investors in the Trump family’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, holding roughly $75M worth of its WLFI token.
The WLFI investment occurred at a time when Sun and his own exchange, HTX, were under scrutiny from the same ICIJ investigation, which alleged that a Russian money launderer specializing in moving cryptocurrency for North Korea’s weapons program maintained an account at HTX.
This account was active as of August, according to the ICIJ report, which is around the same time that Sun made a public investment into Trump’s World Liberty crypto project. Speculation is rife that the Tron founders’ investment was tainted and served as a means to launder illicit funds through the President’s DeFi token. However, there is currently no evidence to support this claim.
A billionaire under investigation. A president selling access.
Justin Sun funneled millions into Trump’s crypto empire, and walked away clean.
If this doesn’t terrify you, you’re not paying attention.
👀 Read the full story now. https://t.co/yjJ19V9bPs pic.twitter.com/HxZbrU8dQt
— Mitch Jackson, Esq. (@mitchjackson) June 20, 2025
Regulators during Trump’s second Presidential term have seen cases dropped against Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken, and the Justice Department disbanded a crypto crime unit, prioritizing individual actions while continuing to pursue platform-related investigations.
Trump also pardoned three BitMEX founders who pleaded guilty to anti–money laundering violations. The crypto industry’s political stance shifted; major firms donated millions to Trump’s campaign, and despite calling bitcoin a “scam” in 2021, Trump became a leading supporter, aiming to make the US the “crypto capital of the world.”
The President and his sons launched the World Liberty crypto project in 2024, a DeFi platform that raised over $500M during the presale for its native WLFI token.
In conclusion, the ICIJ’s investigation reveals how exchanges like Binance have benefitted from lax regulation, fragmented enforcement, and political backing, alleging that it has enabled billions of dollars in illicit cryptocurrency to circulate with minimal consequences.
BONUS: Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) Closes in on $28M in ICO Funding – Is Hyper the Best Presale Play for November?
The Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) presale has become one of the most hyped and sought-after ICO projects in 2025, raising over $27.8M to date as investors bet on this Bitcoin Layer-2 protocol as the next big play to see out 2025 with.
At its core, Bitcoin Hyper is a Layer-2 solution built on the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM). This architecture enables developers to deploy high-performance dApps in Rust while anchoring settlement to Bitcoin’s base layer.
The bridge locks BTC on-chain and mints wrapped BTC for use within Hyper’s ecosystem, ensuring security while significantly boosting scalability and speed.
The potential impact is substantial. If just 1% of circulating BTC, approximately 195,000 coins, were bridged into HYPER, it would mean around $20Bn in liquidity flowing into DeFi, gaming, and meme coin markets powered by Bitcoin.
For investors who missed Bitcoin’s early run, HYPER is being promoted as “Bitcoin 2.0,” a second chance to extract value from the world’s most dominant asset. Early positioning is crucial, with just hours left before the next presale price increase.
To be part of it and secure HYPER before prices move higher, visit the Bitcoin Hyper website, where tokens can be purchased using SOL, ETH, USDT, USDC, BNB, or a credit card.
For the best trading experience, the team recommends Best Wallet, one of the best crypto and Bitcoin wallets in the market today. HYPER is already listed in its Upcoming Tokens section, making it easy to buy, track, and claim once live.
Stay connected with the community on Telegram and X for the latest updates.
Visit Bitcoin Hyper HereEXPLORE: Best Meme Coin ICOs to Invest in 2026
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