Former President Donald Trump's pardon of Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance and a convicted felon, has sparked significant debate and concern. Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to prevent money laundering on the Binance platform, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange.

Legal experts, like former pardon attorney Elizabeth Oyer, have described the pardon as "unusual" and "unprecedented," citing the perceived influence of money and the "self-dealing aspect" where the pardon confers a benefit on individuals connected to Trump, including his family's crypto company, World Liberty Financial.

This situation raises questions about the use of presidential pardon power. Reporter Kenneth from The New York Times highlighted that there are "no real checks on the pardon power," which a president can use "to assist allies, potential business partners, or to punish enemies." The article suggests this pardon could facilitate further business between the Trump family's crypto ventures and Binance, potentially allowing Binance to enter the U.S. market.