11:44 - 14.03.2025

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March 14, Fineko/abc.az. Representatives of the family of U.S. President Donald Trump discussed with the management of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange the matter of obtaining a stake in the American division of the crypto exchange.

ABC.AZ reports, referring to The Wall Street Journal, that Binance contacted Trump's associates last year, hoping to return to the American market after the U.S. authorities ordered the crypto exchange to pay $4.3 billion for violating the banking secrecy Act, money laundering, lack of proper registration and evading sanctions.

In addition, former director Changpeng Zhao, who was sentenced to 4 months in prison in the U.S. for financial crimes and remains a Binance shareholder, wanted to receive a pardon from Trump for his stake in Binance. Negotiations were conducted after the inauguration of the Republican on January 20.

The publication claims that Steven Witkoff, appointed by Trump as his special envoy, also participated in the negotiations on the deal, one of the options for which was the participation of World Liberty Financial, a company founded by Witkoff.

A pardon deal in exchange for a stake in the crypto exchange, the newspaper points out, could help Binance recoup financial losses due to the trial, as well as open the way for the crypto exchange to the EU, where investors do not do business with companies whose shareholders have been convicted of financial crimes.

This January, Trump signed an executive order aimed at strengthening U.S.’ position in the field of digital financial technologies and turning the country into the "crypto capital of the planet".