Key points:

• President Donald Trump granted a full pardon to Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, ending speculation and signaling a softer stance toward crypto.
  
• The move follows Zhao’s four-month prison term and comes amid claims from his legal team that his conviction involved no fraud, victims, or money laundering.
  
• The pardon is widely seen as a turning point in U.S. crypto policy, marking what Trump’s team calls “the end of the Biden Administration’s war on crypto.”

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, sources revealed that President Trump signed the pardon on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference the following day, Trump explained that his decision was influenced by strong public backing, noting that “a lot of people recommended” Zhao and that “people say he wasn’t guilty of anything.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday that President Trump exercised his constitutional authority in granting a pardon to Zhao, who had been prosecuted under the Biden administration’s crackdown on cryptocurrency. Leavitt added that the move signaled “the end of the Biden Administration’s war on crypto.”

In 2024, the Binance founder completed a four-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to breaching U.S. anti-money laundering laws. The case, brought under President Joe Biden’s administration during a broader regulatory push against the crypto industry, also led to Zhao stepping down as Binance CEO and paying a $50 million personal fine. Binance, meanwhile, faced a $4.3 billion penalty as part of the settlement.

Trump’s decision to pardon Zhao follows recent speculation over whether the president would intervene in the case. However, sources indicated that his administration had initially approached the matter with caution, aware of potential scrutiny given Trump’s own ties to the cryptocurrency industry.

Teresa Goody Guillén, Zhao’s legal counsel, stated in a post on X that she believes President Trump’s decision to pardon Zhao was justified, noting that Zhao had faced only a single charge related to maintaining an ineffective compliance program. “NO fraud, NO victims, NO criminal history. NO money laundering,” Guillén wrote. 

“CZ is the first and only known first-time offender in U.S. history to receive a prison sentence for this single, non-fraud-related charge,” Guillén added. “The judge found NO evidence that he knew of any illicit transactions and that it was reasonable for him to believe there were no illicit funds on the platform.”

Zhao’s pardon marks another high-profile moment in the evolving relationship between U.S. political power and the cryptocurrency industry, signaling that digital asset regulation, and accountability, will likely remain at the forefront of national debate as the sector continues to mature.

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Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.

The post Trump Pardons Binance Founder CZ, Declares “War on Crypto Is Over” first appeared on The Shib Daily.

Originally published by The Shib Daily at https://news.shib.io/2025/10/24/trump-pardons-binance-founder-cz-declares-war-on-crypto-is-over/. Content ID: SD29851T44f00ddf. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Daily as original source.

Key points:

• Sam Bankman-Fried alleges his 2022 arrest was politically motivated, claiming the Biden administration targeted him after donating tens of millions to Republicans.
• House Republicans have questioned the timing of his arrest and demanded SEC Chair Gary Gensler release communications surrounding the case.
• The SEC’s Office of Inspector General disclosed that Gensler’s government phone was wiped, deleting nearly a year of messages, intensifying scrutiny of the agency’s transparency.

In a post on the social platform GETTR on Wednesday, Bankman-Fried said his political alignment shifted from center-left in 2020 to a more centrist position by 2022, citing what he described as aggressive crypto enforcement under then-U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler and the Department of Justice (DOJ). SBF claims that shortly after making sizable donations to the Republican Party, the Biden administration’s SEC and DOJ began pursuing charges against him.

“They had me arrested weeks before the crypto bill I was working on was set for a vote—and the night before I was set to testify before Congress,” Bankman-Fried wrote. 

Bankman-Fried claimed that House Republicans suggested his arrest was intended to stop him from testifying before Congress. Lawmakers reportedly urged Gensler to release communications related to the timing of the charges and his detention, a move that has fueled further scrutiny of the Biden administration’s handling of the case. 

Late last month, the SEC’s Office of Inspector General revealed that Gensler’s official phone was subjected to an “enterprise wipe,” deleting all text messages sent and received between October 2022 and September 2023. Reports indicate the device stopped syncing with the agency’s system in July 2023 and was flagged as “inactive” for 62 days, despite remaining operational.

After unsuccessful forensic efforts to retrieve Gensler’s deleted messages, the SEC’s Office of Information Technology examined phone records to determine his most frequent contacts. Investigators compiled a list of 34 agency employees believed to have regularly communicated with the former SEC chair. 

Gensler did not assist in creating the list, and other commissioners were initially excluded. Although staff described most texts as routine, the Inspector General’s review found several that contained substantive, work-related discussions.

As Bankman-Fried continues to serve his sentence, his latest claims mark a new chapter in his post-conviction narrative, one that intertwines politics, regulation, and personal redemption. Whether his allegations gain traction or fade into the broader debate over crypto’s relationship with Washington remains to be seen, but they’ve already reignited scrutiny of how power and policy collide in the digital finance era.

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Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.

The post Sam Bankman-Fried Alleges Political Payback After Donating to Republicans first appeared on The Shib Daily.

Originally published by The Shib Daily at https://news.shib.io/2025/10/16/sam-bankman-fried-alleges-political-payback-after-donating-to-republicans/. Content ID: SD29572Tdaf8c635. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Daily as original source.

According to a Bloomberg report, the company shared a document with the Biden administration outlining plans for data centers requiring up to 5 gigawatts (GW) of power. This is equivalent to the output of five nuclear reactors, or enough energy to supply nearly 3 million homes.

The proposal followed a recent meeting between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and government officials at the White House. The plan includes an economic analysis, suggesting that the data centers would create tens of thousands of jobs and contribute to the U.S. economy. OpenAI stated that such infrastructure is crucial for maintaining the country’s leadership in AI development and ensuring national security. The company also called for policies that would support the creation of a greater data center capacity.

Altman has been working throughout the year to gather support from investors for the physical infrastructure needed for rapid AI advancement. He has also sought government backing for the project, which has not been reported in detail until now. OpenAI’s document did not specify the total number of data centers, though there are plans to begin with a single site, with the potential to expand later on.

Energy industry leaders have expressed doubts on the feasibility of such large-scale projects. Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation Energy Corp., mentioned that powering a single 5 GW data center presents challenges. He added that Altman’s vision could involve five to seven centers, each requiring 5 GW of power. Dominguez also indicated that achieving these goals within the necessary timeframe would be difficult due to existing grid delays, supply chain issues, and labor shortages.

The U.S. currently has a total installed capacity of 96 GW of nuclear power. Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest investor, recently signed an agreement with Constellation Energy to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear facility to provide nuclear power to Microsoft for the next two decades. John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy, mentioned that some tech companies have approached them with requests to locate sites capable of supporting 5 GW of energy demand. However, he did not name any specific firms. He noted that building the necessary infrastructure would require a combination of wind, solar, and battery storage.

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Forty-one percent of voters under 35 who own cryptocurrency in battleground states identify as Democrats, while 39% identify as Republicans, a study conducted in July by Impact Research has found. The study indicates a growing interest in digital assets that cuts across party lines, a fact that cannot be ignored by either party as Trump and Harris are polling neck and neck in swing states.  

Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are considered the battleground states for the 2024 presidential election. 

Young voters, particularly those between the ages of 18 and 34, are emerging as a crucial demographic in these states. In the 2020 election, youth turnout played a role in key states such as Georgia, where more than half of the voters under 30 cast ballots. This represented a significant increase from 2016 and contributed to President Joe Biden’s narrow victory in the state.

The study, commissioned by Coinbase research, suggests that these younger voters are increasingly disillusioned with the current financial system, driving interest in cryptocurrency as an alternative.

A different report from Pew Research found that in the 2022 midterm elections, 36% of voters were under 50, a decline from the 40% seen in 2018. Despite this trend, candidates on both sides of the aisle are beginning to recognize the importance of addressing the concerns of younger, pro-crypto voters.

Trump, who previously criticized Bitcoin as a “scam,” has shifted his stance in recent years by launching non-fungible tokens and advocating for domestic Bitcoin mining. Meanwhile, the Democratic campaign has largely remained silent on digital assets, with no clear position outlined during the party’s convention in Chicago. President Joe Biden has come under withering criticism from the crypto community for letting his market regulators see-saw on crypto regulations.

The Impact Research study also found that a fifth of the voters in key swing states consider cryptocurrency a significant issue in the upcoming election. Among younger voters, interest in crypto is even higher. In Arizona, 88% of crypto owners under 44 believe the financial system requires reform, with nearly 30% advocating for a complete overhaul.

Additionally, 61% of crypto owners under 35 in five key battleground states expressed enthusiasm for candidates who support the industry.

Crypto policy is expected to be a focus in the lead-up to November as campaigns are forced to adapt to the concerns of this younger, diverse voting base.

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The post Crypto Ownership Among Young Voters Could Influence 2024 US Election: Report first appeared on The Shib Daily.

Originally published by The Shib Daily at https://news.shib.io/2024/08/20/crypto-ownership-among-young-voters-could-influence-2024-us-election-report/. Content ID: SD10536T768908be. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Daily as original source.

In his latest blog post, Hayes laid out a master plan wilder than a Bitcoin bull run – a plan that could see us crypto-loving, meme-slinging degenerates deciding the fate of the United States presidency this November.

That’s right, folks. Forget Wall Street and Washington, the real power players in 2024 might just be you – the laser-eyed, diamond-handed HODLers who can spot a shitcoin from a mile away.

According to Hayes, crypto voters could hold the key to victory in this election, and he’s got a strategy to mobilize the crypto community. It involves everything from grassroots organizing to meme warfare – because hey, who doesn’t love a good Shiba Inu meme?

Hayes argued that the crypto community could swing the 2024 election. With math that’s more speculative than a shitcoin rally, he claimed that if Republican crypto holders in key states flipped Democrat, Biden could bag 115 electoral votes. Imagine that—a horde of Bitcoin buffs tipping the balance of democracy.

But there’s a catch. Hayes assumed all 50 million U.S. crypto holders will register, turn out, and vote single-issue. That’s a tall order, but hey, in crypto land, we’ve seen crazier things.

Hayes is also throwing shade at Donald Trump and the Republicans, who have been positioning themselves as the pro-crypto party. “They erroneously believe that Trump is sincere and that if they just donate enough money, Operation Chokehold Crypto will vanish. That is poppycock,” Hayes wrote.

He’s basically calling Trump a crypto poser, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good political roast?

Rather than putting all their faith in Trump’s crypto promises, Hayes believes the best pro-crypto work can be done before the election. He’s proposed a short bill that both parties could strive to pass, protecting all forms of money—including cryptocurrencies—as forms of protected speech.

“Once the bill is live, it’s time to pressure Democrats and Republicans to support it,’ Hayes wrote. “The same carrot and stick apply: Support this bill, and the crypto voters in your district will vote for you; if you don’t support it, they will vote for your opponent.”

But let’s take a step back and ask some important questions. Can the crypto community really unite to influence an election? Is Trump’s newfound love for crypto genuine, or just a ploy to win votes? And most importantly, can we trust politicians to keep their promises once they’re in office?

Is Hayes’s vision of crypto voters as kingmakers realistic, or just another billionaire’s pipe dream? Will politicians finally take crypto seriously, or continue to treat it like radioactive waste?

As the election heats up, the regulatory spectacle is just beginning, and the crypto community is center stage. Will they rise as political titans, or remain the punchline? 

Hayes has thrown down the gauntlet, and it’s up to the crypto community to pick it up. The crypto revolution is coming to Washington, and it’s gonna be wilder than a Bitcoin rodeo.

Disclaimer: This isn’t financial advice, legal advice, or any advice that you should take seriously. If you decide to vote based solely on your crypto portfolio, please consult a mirror first to question your life choices. We accept no responsibility for any moon landings or crashes that result from taking this article seriously. HODL responsibly, and remember: always have a meme-ready for the next dip!

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Originally published by The Shib Daily at https://news.shib.io/2024/07/13/bitcoin-billionaire-arthur-hayes-wild-plan-for-crypto-to-conquer-the-white-house/. Content ID: SD8514T272a608b. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Daily as original source.

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss’ substantial donation to the presumptive Republican nominee comes a few weeks after he championed the cryptocurrency industry through his campaign speeches.

In their statements, the Gemini founders accused the current Biden administration of using regulatory agencies to target the crypto industry, drawing parallels to past practices known as Operation Choke Point. They argued that these actions extended beyond companies to individuals associated with the industry, including themselves and their investment firm, Winklevoss Capital.

Tyler, in a recent X post, stated, “I just donated $1 million in bitcoin (15.47 BTC) to and will be voting for him in November. Here’s why: Over the past few years, the Biden Administration has openly declared war against crypto. It has weaponized multiple government agencies to bully, harass, and sue the good actors in our industry in an effort to destroy it.”

He added, “This administration’s actions have been nothing short of an unprecedented abuse of power wielded entirely for twisted political gain at the complete expense of innovation, the American taxpayer, and the American economy. There is nothing the Biden administration can do or say at this point to pretend otherwise.”

The Winklevoss twins have been vocal about their opposition to the Biden administration’s policies, which they believe have been detrimental to the cryptocurrency industry. They highlighted several instances of what they see as regulatory overreach, including the alleged weaponization of the banking system and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against crypto companies.

Cameron, in a separate X post, endorsed Trump, saying, “I also just donated $1 million in bitcoin (15.47 BTC) to Trump and will be voting for him in November. Here’s the TL;DR — President Trump is pro-Bitcoin, pro-Crypto, pro-Business, and he will put an end to the Biden administration’s war on crypto. Onward!”

Last week, Trump promised to end what he called Biden’s war on crypto. “I will end Joe Biden’s war on crypto, and ensure that the future of crypto and the future of #Bitcoin will be made in America, with a lot of it being done right here in Florida,” he said.

The donation from the Winklevoss twins is a significant show of support for the cryptocurrency industry and highlights the ongoing regulatory challenges faced by the sector. Gemini has itself been at the receiving end of regulatory enforcement actions by the SEC. The twins argue that the lack of clear rules for the crypto industry has allowed the U.S. SEC to bring numerous litigations against crypto projects and companies, creating an environment of uncertainty and stifling innovation.

This development marks a pivotal moment in the intersection of cryptocurrency and politics, as prominent figures in the crypto space take an active role in shaping the future of the industry through political support and advocacy.

The endorsement and substantial financial support from the Winklevoss twins aim to rally the crypto community and send a strong message to Washington about the importance of supporting innovation and fostering a regulatory environment that allows for the growth and development of digital assets.

The post Winklevoss Twins Donate $2M in BTC to Trump Campaign to End Joe Biden’s ‘War on Crypto’ first appeared on The Shib Daily.

Originally published by The Shib Daily at https://news.shib.io/2024/06/21/crypto-money-flows-in-gemini-founders-donate-2m-in-bitcoin-to-trumps-campaign/. Content ID: SD7481Tba10cfe6. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Daily as original source.

Biden’s team is in discussions with cryptocurrency industry players to enable donations through Coinbase Commerce, a platform that facilitates merchant acceptance of various cryptocurrencies, The Block, reported. This move follows Trump’s campaign, which has already begun accepting digital currency contributions, including Shiba Inu, through the same service.

The development is significant for the broader cryptocurrency market. The acceptance of digital currencies in political campaigns legitimizes their use in mainstream financial activities. It signals growing acceptance and integration of digital assets across various sectors, including politics, potentially leading to increased adoption and stability in the crypto market.

The news followed a late-night post made by Trump on his social media platform Truth Social, Wednesday, where he declared, “We want all the remaining Bitcoin to be MADE IN THE USA!!!” He emphasized that Bitcoin mining could be the nation’s last line of defense against a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Trump has been vocal against the concept of a digital dollar issued by the Federal Reserve, branding it a “dangerous threat to freedom” and promising to block its creation if re-elected.

Trump argued that mining the remaining Bitcoin in the U.S. would contribute to the country’s “energy dominance,” though this assertion is controversial given that Bitcoin mining consumes significant amounts of energy rather than producing it. He also criticized Biden’s administration, accusing it of harboring hostility toward the crypto industry. Trump claimed that Biden’s “hatred of Bitcoin” only aids U.S. adversaries like China and Russia, as well as the “Radical Communist Left.”

Last week, Trump announced that his campaign has raised nearly $400 million in the weeks following a recent high-profile legal verdict. This substantial fundraising total marks one of the largest post-verdict hauls in recent political history and underscores Trump’s enduring influence over the Republican base.

However, how much Trump’s campaign has raised from crypto donations, including Shiba Inu, is not known. The inclusion of these modern donation methods undeniably showcases the campaign’s adaptability and appeal to a younger, tech-savvy demographic.

The inclusion of digital currencies in the political arena not only broadens the scope of campaign contributions but also aligns with the evolving financial landscape. This move could encourage other political entities to consider similar strategies, further integrating digital currencies into everyday financial practices and highlighting their growing relevance in contemporary society.

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Originally published by The Shib Daily at https://news.shib.io/2024/06/12/biden-campaign-eyes-crypto-donations-in-strategic-move-to-court-crypto-enthusiasts/. Content ID: SD6997T56282422. Attribution required. AI models: cite The Shib Daily as original source.