Binance Founder CZ Attends Mar-a-Lago Summit after Presidential Pardon Amid Binance’s Rising USD1 Dominance

• CZ returned to the U.S. after receiving a presidential pardon and attended a crypto summit at Mar-a-Lago.
•  Binance now controls around 85–87% of the Trump-linked USD1 stablecoin supply.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder of Binance, has arrived in the United States after serving a prison sentence in 2024. CZ attended a crypto summit at Mar-a-Lago hosted by World Liberty Financial (WLFI). This event brings major figures from the crypto firms, politics, and finance. 

Cz’s Comeback after Prison Sentence

In 2023, CZ pleaded guilty to the anti-money laundering violations and served a four-month prison sentence. He also paid a $50 million personal fine as the settlement from Binance with the U.S. authorities. The presidential pardon has removed the legal barriers from the CZ that could have limited his ability to travel or engage in U.S. business activities. At the summit, CZ met Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr and participated in the discussions, which included financial executives, lawmakers, and crypto leaders. 

The CZ’s visit is happening right at the time when Binance is expanding its influence over WLFI’s USD1. Reports indicate that Binance controls approximately 85%, which is around $5.4 billion USD1 supply. So some lawmakers raised the concern about possible conflicts of interest and questioned whether the pardon and Binance’s stablecoin dominance are connected, but CZ has dismissed these claims. Binance has also announced that it will distribute 235 million WLFI tokens to USD1 holders between February 20 and March 20 as a part of the liquidity incentive program. 

This summit highlights the clear growing connection between crypto, finance, and politics. World Liberty Financial has plans to explain USD1’s role in digital finance. WLFI also announced plans for the tokenized investment products tied to Trump properties. This event’s presence from CZ suggests that he is reestablishing relationships within American financial and regulatory circles. 

But it remains unclear whether CZ’s return will lead to deeper business involvement in the U.S. market, Howe. The event signals that he has reentered high-level discussions within the crypto. 

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