Trump Pardons CZ as Binance Faces $1B Terror-Financing Lawsuit

Published at 2025-11-26 09:00:09

President Trump has pardoned Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao as the exchange confronts a major civil legal challenge. A federal lawsuit filed by 306 victims and family members alleges Binance helped facilitate roughly $1 billion in terror financing linked to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks; the plaintiffs are seeking damages and accountability in U.S. courts. The move underscores a separation between criminal and civil exposure: a presidential pardon can address federal criminal liability but does not block private civil claims. The case amplifies regulatory and reputational pressure on Binance and could spur further scrutiny of compliance across crypto platforms, with potential consequences for asset freezes, precedent in civil suits, and how exchanges manage counterterrorism controls moving forward.

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Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said there is no clash with the White House and that talks remain ongoing as the industry works on proposals tied to the CLARITY market-structure bill. The focus is on ways to support community banks' role in crypto.

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Published at 2026-01-18 00:15:08

Georgia Orders Shutdown of Unlicensed Crypto ATMs

State authorities ordered Virtual Assets LLC to cease operations after the firm failed to demonstrate it was an authorized money transmitter. The action removes access to the company’s ATM network while regulators assess compliance.

Crypto ATMsRegulationVirtual Assets LLCGeorgiaCompliance

Published at 2026-01-17 21:45:06

Texas, New Hampshire Lead U.S. Race to Put Bitcoin on State Balance Sheets

Texas and New Hampshire are among a growing number of U.S. states moving to add Bitcoin (BTC) to their balance sheets as Congress advances a federal crypto market structure bill. The actions signal rising state-level appetite for digital-asset exposure and could shape wider treasury practices.

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Published at 2026-01-17 15:45:05

Binance to Delist Four USDⓈ-M Perpetual Pairs on Jan 21, 2026

Binance will automatically settle and delist USDⓈ-M perpetual contracts for BID/USDT, DMC/USDT, ZRC/USDT and TANSSI/USDT on January 21, 2026 at 09:00 UTC. Traders with open positions should take action before the scheduled settlement to avoid forced closure.

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Published at 2026-01-17 14:45:06

California fines Nexo $500K over unlicensed loans, stalling US comeback

California regulators have fined crypto lender Nexo $500,000 for issuing thousands of loans without a required license, creating a setback for the firm's plans to resume U.S. operations.

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Published at 2026-01-17 13:00:08