Binance founder Changpeng Zhao confirmed he applied for Donald Trump to pardon his money laundering conviction after denying earlier reports that he’d done so. Binance founder and convicted felon Changpeng Zhao says that he applied for a pardon from US President Donald Trump shortly after denying reports that he was seeking one. Zhao, also known as CZ, said on a Farokh Radio podcast episode aired May 6 that he “wouldn’t mind” a pardon and that his lawyers have already filed the paperwork on his behalf “I got lawyers applying,” Zhao said, adding that he submitted the request after Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported in March that he was seeking a pardon from Trump amid discussions of a business deal between the Trump family and Binance.US. Read more
Stablecoin demand is on the rise, with market capitalization surpassing $231 billion in May 2025. Stripe, a global payments platform, has introduced stablecoin-based accounts to clients in over 100 countries. According to a May 7 announcement, the new feature will allow the platform's clients "to send, receive, and hold US-dollar stablecoin account balances, similar to how a traditional fiat bank account works." The product's technical page shows that the new account feature will support Circle's USDC (USDC) and Bridge's USDB (USDB) stablecoins. Stripe acquired the Bridge platform in October 2024. The product will be available to clients in more than 100 countries, including Argentina, Chilé, Turkey, Colombia, and Peru, among others. Read more