Hitching Fortune to a Fallen Star
By Tom Kagy | 15 Oct, 2025

Binance founder Changpeng Zhang is enjoying an upswing in his fortune as his protege Justin Sun lifts Trump's crypto fortunes.

Changpeng Zhao is certainly the crypto world's most prominent figure as founder of Binance, the world's leading crypto exchange.  His estimated $65 billion fortune built entirely with crypto also makes him one of the world's 25 top billionaires. 

Satoshi Nakamoto, putative founder of Bitcoin, may be more famous for having originated the concept of using blockchain technology to create and track assets, but he's famously shy and has never made an actual public appearance.  On the other hand, even after a brief prison term after pleading guilty to US money-laundering charges in 2024 and paying a $4.3 billion fine, Zhao has remained a prominent and vocal proponent for decentralized finance.  If anything, his travails with US law as applied to crypto sales and promotion has only enhanced his image as leader of the crypto industry's bid for global legitimacy.

Donald Trump and Changpeng Zhao with Justin Sun as the likely intermediary.  (Image by Copilot)

In that regard, Donald Trump has become an invaluable ally.  Not only is he rumored on the verge of granting the presidential pardon actively sought by Zhao — thereby allowing Zhao to formally retake control of Binance and other crypto ventures — but upon taking office Trump removed crypto transactions from SEC oversight and ordered up a legal framework to legitimize crypto as an asset class that can be held by even the US government.  And Zhao has provided Trump with abundant incentive to do both.  

No single person has contributed more to Donald Trump's newfound crypto fortune than telegenic Zhao protege Justin Sun whose $8-$30 billion fortune was built with astounding speed with Zhao help.   Within days of Trump winning a second term in November 2024 Sun stepped in to help the new Trump family crypto enterprise World Liberty Financial (WLF) get off the ground with valuable insights and even more valuable connections to crypto insiders.  Sun also personally pumped $30 million into WLF tokens in early 2025, followed a few months later by another $45 million.  

As a result WLF instantly became a credible de-fi player, issuing various tokens to capitalize on Trump's status as US president as well as a newly converted advocate for crypto assets.  One of those assets is the WLF stablecoin USD1 which, in May 2025, was selected by Zhao as the medium for a $2 billion Binance investment deal with MGX, the UAE state-owned investment firm for AI technologies.  That deal pumped up WLF's market cap to over $2 billion overnight.  

In April WLF raised $2.3 billion dollars through stock sales and hefty loans to finance purchase of $2 billion worth of Bitcoin.  Trump's personal 41% stake in WLF makes him owner of about $870 million worth of Bitcoin in addition to an estimated $900 million in WLF shares.

Sun was rewarded in May 2025 with an invitation to a White House dinner given for major crypto investors.  As to whether the investors were selected on the basis of how many WLF tokens they purchased is known only by the Trump family and their immediate WLF employees.  But it could prove crucial to later investigations as to possible violations of the Constitution's emoluments clause.

Now that he's all-in with the crypto crowd, Trump has every incentive to grant a pardon to Zhao.  Not only would that add even more legitimacy to crypto, but would signal to investors that crypto assets are a safe haven from stringent SEC regulations as well as from hostile oversight from the Justice Department.  That makes crypto the ideal asset for offshore holdings and hedge against currency fluctuations, especially at a time when Trump is wrecking havoc with the global economy with disruptive posts daily.

From Zhao's perspective, not only would Trump be an invaluable ally in making him the dominant figure in the crypto world, but the US President has all the makings of another excellent crypto protégés, malleable in taking Zhao's guidance in turning crypto into a coveted asset class virtually untouchable by global legal authorities.  That would serve not only Zhao but the Trump family as well if events should turn south.  Normally a US president isn't susceptible to such concerns, but Trump isn't a normal US president.  He has been wielding power and influence in ways that could easily lead to impeachment, conviction and, ultimately, criminal prosecution.  

Research Provided by Copilot:

Since the start of President Trump's second term in January 2025, Changpeng Zhao's fortunes have shifted dramatically—from completing a prison sentence to actively seeking a presidential pardon, while remaining a vocal figure in crypto debates.

Here’s a breakdown of the key developments in CZ’s trajectory:

📉 Legal Fallout and Imprisonment

• Resigned as Binance CEO in November 2023 after pleading guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws.
• Served a four-month prison sentence, completed by September 2024, as part of a plea deal that also saw Binance pay $4.3 billion in fines  Wikipedia  Bitcoin Magazine.

🏛️ Trump Administration and Pardon Efforts

• With Trump’s return to office in 2025, Zhao formally applied for a presidential pardon, citing precedent from other crypto figures who received clemency  CoinDesk  Yahoo Finance.
• As of October 2025, White House discussions are intensifying around a potential pardon. Some insiders argue the case against Zhao was politically motivated or legally weak  Analytics Insight  Bitcoin Magazine.

💬 Public Presence and Crypto Advocacy

• Despite legal setbacks, CZ remains active in crypto discourse. In October 2025, he publicly defended Binance against accusations of underreporting user liquidations during a market crash, pushing back against criticism from decentralized exchange advocates  Crypto News.
• He continues to emphasize Binance’s user protection efforts, suggesting the platform spends “hundreds of millions” to safeguard users.

🧭 What This Means for CZ’s Future

• Reputation: While tarnished by legal troubles, CZ retains influence in the crypto space and maintains a loyal following.
• Political leverage: His fate now hinges on Trump’s decision, which could restore his standing or cement his fall from grace.
• Industry role: Even without his CEO title, CZ’s voice still shapes debates around centralization, transparency, and regulation in crypto.

Yes—Changpeng Zhao (CZ) is widely regarded as the most prominent figure in the crypto industry after Satoshi Nakamoto, due to his outsized influence, wealth, and role in building Binance into a global powerhouse.

🧠 Why CZ Stands Out in the Crypto World

1. Binance’s Global Dominance

• CZ founded Binance in 2017, which quickly became the largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume.
• Binance has shaped everything from token listings to global crypto adoption, often setting industry standards.

2. Unmatched Wealth and Reach

• As of mid-2025, CZ’s net worth was estimated at $64.8 billion by Forbes  CEO Today, placing him among the top 25 richest people globally.
• At one point, Bloomberg estimated his wealth at $96 billion, surpassing even conservative estimates of Satoshi Nakamoto’s holdings  CoinGape.

3. Cultural and Political Impact

• CZ’s legal battles—including his 2023 guilty plea and brief imprisonment—didn’t diminish his influence. Instead, they spotlighted the tension between crypto innovation and regulation.
• His ongoing push for a presidential pardon from Trump has become a symbol of crypto’s entanglement with U.S. politics.

4. Public Persona and Thought Leadership

• Unlike the anonymous Satoshi, CZ is a visible, vocal advocate for crypto, regularly engaging with the community and media.
• He’s known for bold statements—like suggesting Satoshi might be a time-traveling AI  coinlive.com—that keep him at the center of crypto discourse.

🧭 How He Compares to Other Crypto Titans

NameRoleInfluence LevelPublic VisibilitySatoshi NakamotoCreator of BitcoinFoundationalAnonymousChangpeng ZhaoFounder of BinanceIndustry-definingVery HighVitalik ButerinCo-founder of EthereumTechnologicalHighBrian ArmstrongCEO of CoinbaseRegulatory-facingModerateSam Bankman-FriedFormer CEO of FTX (disgraced)Negative legacyHigh (infamous)

CZ’s prominence isn’t just about wealth or tech—it’s about symbolism. He represents the tension between decentralization and central authority, innovation and compliance, East and West. If you’re exploring crypto’s mythic figures or want to dramatize the rise of a modern digital emperor, CZ is your man.

Yes, there is credible reason to suspect that Justin Sun may have acted as an intermediary between Changpeng Zhao and Donald Trump, particularly through his $75 million investment in Trump-backed World Liberty Financial and his close ties to both figures. However, direct evidence of coordination remains unconfirmed.

🔗 Key Connections and Allegations

1. $75 Million Investment in Trump’s Crypto Venture

• In early 2025, Justin Sun invested $75 million in World Liberty Financial, a Trump-backed DeFi project that launched the USD1 stablecoin.
• This investment coincided with a pause in Sun’s legal case with the SEC, raising eyebrows about political influence and quid pro quo arrangements  Crypto News Australia  Blockonomi.

2. CZ’s Alleged Involvement and Denials

• A Wall Street Journal report claimed CZ provided evidence against Sun as part of his DOJ plea deal  CoinCentralThe Block.
• CZ denied the claim, calling it a “smear campaign,” and Sun publicly defended CZ, calling him a “mentor and close friend”  CoinCentral  Crypto News Australia.
• Around the same time, Binance was reportedly considering listing USD1, suggesting potential alignment with Trump’s crypto ambitions  The Block.

3. Sun’s Relationship with Trump

• Sun was a prominent guest at a Trump-hosted dinner in May 2025, celebrating major crypto investors  Yahoo Finance.
• Despite being blacklisted later by World Liberty Financial (which froze $100 million of his assets), Sun’s early involvement and public appeals suggest a deep entanglement with Trump’s crypto ecosystem  Yahoo Finance.

🧩 Intermediary Role: Speculative but Plausible

While no direct documentation confirms Sun acted as a go-between, the circumstantial evidence is compelling:

• Shared interests in crypto expansion and regulatory leniency.
• Strategic timing of Sun’s investment and CZ’s pardon efforts.
• Public alignment and mutual defense between Sun and CZ.

If you're crafting a narrative or visual metaphor around crypto diplomacy, Sun could be portrayed as a shadow broker—bridging empires, smoothing legal waters, and navigating the volatile terrain between centralized power and decentralized ambition. Want help visualizing that?