- WLFI token price surged over 14% after Trump pardoned Binance founder CZ
- Market speculates WLFI price jump to the pardon news
- Trading volume spiked 153% as WLFI market cap hit reported $3.51 billion
World Liberty Financial’s native token, WLFI, surged more than 14% in the past 24 hours, apparently reacting to news about US President Donald Trump granting full and unconditional pardon to Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO and founder of Binance.
The price rally was followed by a 153% increase in WLFI trading volume, as per CoinMarketCap data, pushing the token’s market capitalization to $3.51 billion.
Trump Pardon Triggers WLFI Rally
The White House confirmed that Trump issued a full pardon for Zhao, who had served four months in prison after pleading guilty in 2023 to violating the Bank Secrecy Act.
The move marks another step in Trump’s ongoing effort to push the crypto industry, which he claims was unfairly targeted by the previous administration. According to the administration, Zhao’s prosecution was a result of the Biden administration’s “war on cryptocurrency.”
Zhao stepped down from Binance as part of his agreement with the DoJ. His pardon clears the way for a potential return to the crypto scene and could allow Binance to expand operations within the United States.
Related: TRUMP Token Volume Surges 50% as Trump Demands $230M From Justice Department
The Speculative Link: WLFI, World Liberty Financial, and Trump/CZ
The WLFI token’s surge seems directly tied to its association, real or perceived, with World Liberty Financial, often described as a Trump family-linked blockchain project. Critics immediately highlighted Zhao’s past connections when Binance reportedly accepted World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin as part of a $2 billion investment from Abu Dhabi-based MGX.
Related: Trump Family Earns Over $1 Billion A Year From Cryptocurrency Business
Trump’s decision to pardon Zhao did not sit well with many, either. Critics pointed to Zhao’s past support for Trump-linked ventures, including World Liberty Financial, the Trump family’s blockchain project.
Warren Speaks Out
Senator Elizabeth Warren took to X to express her disapproval of Trump pardoning Zhao, who was charged with money laundering. She claimed that the Binance founder financed President Trump’s stablecoin, USD1, and “lobbied for a pardon.” Her words were clear, “If Congress does not stop this kind of corruption, it owns it.”
CZ replied, claiming that the Senator “can’t get her facts right, in a public post about a person’s charge.” He added that he was never charged with money laundering, stating that Warren was the one who declared a “war” on crypto just five days before his sentencing.
WLFI trades more than 14% higher over the past 24 hours, reaching a market cap near $3.50 billion following the Trump pardon news.
WLFI price surged as investors viewed the pardon as a pro-crypto gesture that could strengthen World Liberty Financial’s position and boost regulatory confidence under Trump’s administration.
WLFI, as World Liberty Financial’s token (Trump-linked), benefited when Binance used WLF’s USD1 stablecoin for a $2B MGX investment deal. This structure generated significant yield for WLF precisely while CZ was actively seeking a pardon. The market reaction (WLFI pump) reflects the perception that Trump’s pardon validates this apparent transactional relationship.
Analysts expect short-term volatility but remain optimistic about WLFI’s momentum, suggesting the token could continue its upward trajectory if broader market sentiment holds.
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