Binance.US Denies Favoring Trump Cryptos After CEO Pardon Amid U.S. Senator Accusations

Binance.US has defended its decision to list cryptocurrencies USD1 and WLFI, which are linked to President Donald Trump’s family, against accusations from Senator Chris Murphy that the listings were a quid pro quo following Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao's presidential pardon. The exchange emphasized that the listings were routine business decisions, approved through a thorough due diligence and legal review process, and noted that these tokens were already available on major platforms like Coinbase, Robinhood, and Kraken. Murphy accused Zhao of serious crimes and suggested the White House was engaged in corruption, but Binance.US rejected these claims, stating that the listing process is independent and not influenced by political events or favors. Zhao pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act, paid a fine, served time, and was later pardoned by President Trump, a move criticized by Democratic senators who introduced a resolution condemning the pardon. Binance warned that politicizing normal business decisions harms the broader crypto ecosystem and that listing tokens does not imply political alignment. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between regulatory scrutiny, political influence, and the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency market.