Today in crypto, Polymarket odds of SBF receiving a pardon this year have surged, Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao received a pardon from US President Donald Trump, clearing the way for a possible return to the exchange. Revolut secured a MiCA license from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
Polymarket bets that Sam Bankman-Fried gets pardon surge to 12%
Polymarket bettors have now tipped a 12% chance that former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried will be pardoned this year, after Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao was let off the hook this week.
Polymarket odds for “Who will Trump pardon in 2025” saw SBF’s odds rise from 5.6% to 12% in 12 hours, with more than $6.5 million worth of bets placed in that market, including $302,090 for the convicted crypto fraudster.
Another market on whether SBF will be “Released from custody in 2025” rose from 4.3% to 19.1% before falling back to 15.5%.
While SBF has filed an appeal to reduce his 25-year sentence, it is unlikely that there would be any significant developments before the end of the year, meaning a pardon from Trump is likely his only realistic path to release before January.
Binance confirms CZ received presidential pardon from Trump
US President Donald Trump has pardoned convicted Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, following months of lobbying and appeals from the company and its former CEO, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
President Trump signed the pardon on Wednesday, the people said, though no official details have been published on the White House website or in the Federal Register, where presidential pardons are typically announced. The information was later confirmed by Binance.
Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to one count of failing to implement an adequate Anti-Money Laundering (AML) program at Binance, violating the Bank Secrecy Act. As part of his plea, Zhao agreed to step down from his role at Binance.
In April 2024, Zhao was sentenced to four months in a US prison. He was subsequently released from custody in September.
Binance confirmed the presidential pardon to Cointelegraph, sharing the following statement:
“Incredible news of CZ’s pardon today. We thank President Trump for his leadership and for his commitment to make the US the crypto capital of the world. CZ’s vision not only made Binance the world’s largest crypto exchange but shaped the broader crypto movement.”
Revolut secures MiCA license in Cyprus to launch Europe-wide crypto services
Revolut obtained a MiCA license from CySEC, enabling it to offer regulated crypto services across all 30 markets in the European Economic Area (EEA).
The move boosts Revolut’s expansion in the crypto market as the fintech prepares to launch its next-generation “Crypto 2.0” platform, the company said in a news release shared with Cointelegraph.
“This authorisation enables us to deliver groundbreaking crypto products with enhanced transparency and trust for our growing customer base, while further reiterating our commitment to crypto as an asset class,” said Costas Michael, CEO of Revolut Digital Assets Europe.
The MiCA license allows Revolut to market its full suite of crypto products under the regulatory framework. The company, which serves more than 65 million customers worldwide, including 40 million in Europe, will use the license to expand its crypto trading, staking and stablecoin offerings, per the announcement.
Revolut also unveiled a suite of new products, including its next-generation crypto platform, Crypto 2.0, which will include access to over 280 tokens, zero-fee staking with returns of up to 22% annual percentage yield and 1:1 stablecoin-to-US dollar conversion without spreads.
“When paired with crypto-enabled Revolut Visa/Mastercard cards, seamless on/off-ramping tools, and Revolut X’s low trading fees (0.00%–0.09%), the platform delivers one of the broadest and most cost-effective crypto experiences in Europe,” the company wrote.
Last year, Revolut introduced Revolut X, a dedicated desktop crypto exchange targeting experienced traders. The platform offers trading for 100 tokens with low fees and real-time on/off-ramp capabilities.
