US President Donald Trump signed a pardon for the Binance founder on Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported, clearing the way for his possible return to the exchange. Update (Oct. 23 at 5:45 pm UTC): This article has been updated to incorporate a response from Binance. 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. Read more
Blockchain.com praised Malta’s regulatory clarity while member states still argued over how MiCA should apply across the EU. Blockchain.com, one of the oldest crypto platforms operating a wallet and a blockchain explorer, has received regulatory approval in Europe as it ramps up compliance efforts. Blockchain.com obtained a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license from the Maltese Financial Services Authority (MFSA), the company said on Thursday. With the license, Blockchain.com is enabled to provide custody and wallet services in 30 European Economic Area (EEA) countries and plans to roll out institutional services, including treasury management. Read more
Bitcoin fielded fresh leveraged shorts on Thursday as whales appeared to bet on downside volatility around another announcement from US President Donald Trump. Key points: Bitcoin whales flip bearish on BTC price action hours before Trump makes another White House announcement. “Insider” market bets have featured prominently since Oct. 10, when Bitcoin hit $102,000 on Binance. Read more