Following his resignation as CEO of Binance in 2023 and a short prison term for breaching the federal Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) in the U.S., Changpeng “CZ” Zhao continues to be a key figure in the crypto landscape.
This feature is part of CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2025 list.
His official departure from the exchange he founded did not lessen his impact. On the contrary, CZ’s influence grew in 2025 when he received a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump.
CZ expressed that he was “deeply grateful” for the pardon and acknowledged “President Trump for upholding America’s commitment to fairness, innovation, and justice.”
In a humorous twist, Trump later remarked that he “didn’t know” who Zhao was but added that he was a “victim of government weaponization.”
This casual remark did not hinder Zhao’s active presence on social media, where he continues to share insights on industry trends and the global adoption of cryptocurrency. Uncharacteristically, he disclosed a $1.8 million stake in ASTER, the native token of a derivatives exchange on BNB Chain. Following his tweet, ASTER surged from $0.90 to $1.08.
In 2025, CZ also took on a “more active role” in investment initiatives at YZi Labs, the venture capital division of Binance, previously known as Binance Labs. Earlier this year, reports indicated that YZi Labs managed approximately $10 billion in capital, with investments in over 250 companies.
