Binance mulls new US strategy, CZ potentially reducing stake: Report

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange by volume, is plotting a major comeback to the US — and it might mean CZ has to loosen his grip. Changpeng “CZ” Zhao’s controlling stake has been a “major hurdle” for expanding into key US states, according to Bloomberg sources. No concrete plans yet, but the conversation is “fluid.”

The exchange is also eyeing partnerships with US heavyweights like BlackRock and World Liberty Financial (WLFI) — yeah, the DeFi platform linked to Trump — to beef up its American footprint.

Rumors of Binance’s US return started swirling in October after Trump pardoned CZ. Crypto execs were speculating, and CZ himself tweeted: “Will do everything we can to help make America the capital of crypto and advance Web3 worldwide.”

Back in June 2019, Binance stopped serving US customers and spun off Binance.US (run by BAM Trading Services) to handle US users with regulatory compliance. In 2023, the SEC alleged Binance Holdings Ltd. operated both Binance.com and BAM Trading Services. Binance.US is a separate entity — no derivatives, no global Binance liquidity.

Cointelegraph reached out to Binance and Binance.US — no response by publication time.

The US is a crypto goldmine — ranked #2 for global adoption by Chainalysis’ 2025 Index. Tapping into US liquidity would be a game-changer for the world’s biggest exchange.

Trump’s pardon of CZ in October triggered backlash from Democratic heavyweights like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Waters called it a “form of pay-to-play,” accusing Trump of doing political favors for the crypto industry that “helped line his pockets.” Warren labeled the pardon “corruption.”

This pushback highlights resistance among some Dems to crypto’s expansion in the US — and could signal roadblocks for Binance’s return.