Binance’s Political Gambit: Trump, Pardon, and a Dollar That Caused a Stir

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In a turn that might have been lifted straight from the pages of a poorly scripted political comedy, Binance.US has officially denied the whispering allegations that its recent USD1 listing was some sort of clandestine payback for President Trump’s gracious pardon of Binance’s erstwhile overlord, Changpeng Zhao. Yes, apparently, in the perilous world of cryptocurrency, a dollar can cause more fuss than a blow-up in a cat cafe.

The platform, with all the seriousness of a judge at a dog show, declared that this particular stablecoin, emanating from the Trump family’s own cloakroom of financial adventures-World Liberty Financial-was simply approved “through its normal course of business.” Whatever that means, it’s reassuring to know that even in crypto, routine is routine. 🧐

Binance.US Swats Down Senator’s Sabre-Rattling

Enter Senator Chris Murphy, a man who apparently believes that a stablecoin can be as slippery as political integrity. Murphy, upset that his coffee shop of conspiracy theories is missing a key ingredient, asserted on X (the former Twitter) that listing the USD1 was payback for Trump’s pardon-perhaps a novel idea that the pardon was, after all, a ‘get out of jail free’ card, but for cryptocurrency instead of criminals.

“One week after Trump pardoned Binance’s owner (for a stunning array of crimes involving terrorist and sex predator financing), Binance starts promoting Trump crypto. The White House is a full-time, 24/7 corruption machine.”

Binance Denies It All – Normally

Binance.US, ever the picture of decorum, responded with a firm denial: the USD1 token, along with its trusted sidekick WLFI, is floating around on no fewer than twenty major US exchanges-Kraken, Coinbase, Robinhood, and the rest-just doing their regular thing. The listing committee, a body so dull and routine it might make watching paint dry seem exhilarating, approved these assets long ago. Clearly, this isn’t some grand conspiracy but merely a “business decision,” which, in the world of cryptos, probably qualifies as a euphemism for “whoops, mistake made, oh well.”

“We conduct comprehensive due diligence and legal review before listing any asset. USD1 and WLFI are already on 20+ exchanges, approved in the normal course. This isn’t politics, it’s just business… even if the politicians want to make it otherwise,” they said, presumably with a shrug and an eye-roll.

Trump and Crypto – A Match Made in the Twilight Zone

Meanwhile, the fervent critics are having a field day-accusing Trump and his family of cozying up to cryptocurrency in a manner that would make even the most seasoned conspiracy nut raise an eyebrow. With accusations flying about lobbying, billions funneled into shady enterprises, and a pardon that reeks of political payola, it’s enough to make you wonder if the whole crypto world is just an elaborate game of Monopoly played by adults with bad taste.

“Trump is doing massive favors for crypto criminals who have helped line his pockets,” sneers the opposition, casting a long, suspicious shadow over the entire saga.

Zhao himself, now a poster child for regulatory slapstick, was found guilty of not having a proper anti-money laundering program, and to add insult to injury, Binance paid an eye-watering $4.3 billion in fines. Zhao, in a move that perhaps suggests he likes paying fines as much as he enjoys coffee, forked over $50 million himself and then took a brief four-month holiday in the pokey. Gratefully, he thanked Trump for the pardon, casually praising America’s “commitment to fairness, innovation, and justice,” probably with a wry smile and a wink – or so I imagine.

“Deeply grateful for today’s pardon. Will help make America the Capital of Crypto, one dollar, and a good joke at a time,” Zhao might have thought, if he weren’t so busy trying to look innocent.

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2025-10-31 17:50