B inance.US is seeking a larger share of the American market. The effort follows a claim by founder Changpeng Zhao that U.S. crypto exchanges paid millions in lobbying fees to block his pardon. Zhao, who pleaded guilty in 2023 to failures in anti-money-laundering controls, was pardoned by President Donald Trump last October.
Related Brief 2d ago
cryptocurrency Changpeng Zhao's memoir details the regulatory failures of the world's largest crypto exchange
Changpeng Zhao's new memoir, *Freedom of Money*, provides a founder's perspective on the early evolution of the cryptocurrency industry. The book, published globally on April 8, details the rise of Binance and the pressures of scaling it into one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Zhao reflects on the sezione of a four-month sentence in a US federal prison, a development he describes as a turning point in his career. The memoir addresses the regulatory challenges and mistakes that followed the platform's rapid expansion in a sector where regulatory frameworks were evolving.
Zhao claims in his memoir that rivals feared a pardon would help Binance return to the U.S. market. He alleges that these firms funded smear articles in The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg to prevent the executive's legal relief.
Related Brief 6h ago
cryptocurrency Binance captures 40% of crypto derivatives market as trading volume drops
Binance now controls 40% of the perpetual futures market, recording $1.4 trillion in monthly volume. This shift occurred as traders shifted activity toward the largest liquid venues during a period of overall market decline. Centralized exchange trading volume dropped 48% from its October 2025 peak, falling to $4.3 trillion in March 2026, the lowest level since October 2024. This decline in participation was driven by a market cooling after its earlier peak in Q1 2026. Binance remained the largest spot trading venue in March, recording $248 billion in spot volume and controlling 32% of the market.
Binance also engaged in its own lobbying. Politico reported that the company spent hundreds of thousands of dollars seeking the pardon, including $450,000 paid to a firm run by a hunting buddy of Donald Trump Jr.
Related Brief 1d ago
cryptocurrency Crypto's Public Ledger Makes Surveillance Easy, Binance Founder Warns
Most crypto transactions can be tracked by combining blockchain data with KYC information from centralized exchanges. The blockchain is a public ledger that records all transactions. This transparency creates a privacy gap for individuals using cryptocurrency. Tim Draper's vision of paying employees, suppliers, and taxes via Bitcoin smart contracts is complicated by this lack of privacy. CZ warns that without better privacy protections, the balance between regulatory compliance and individual rights is at risk. U.S. regulators are making progress on crypto rules, but stablecoin interest rate regulations under the GENIUS Act remain unresolved. Some U.S. agencies already use blockchain analytics effectively, though most global regulators still lag in capability.
Last month, Binance.US named Stephen Gregory as chief executive to lead the growth strategy.
Related Brief 4h ago
cryptocurrency trading Binance’s 10x Leverage on New BSB Futures Opens Trading Doors — and Risk Windows
Traders can now open leveraged positions in BSB using USDT as margin. The contract allows up to 10x leverage for both long and short positions, requiring an initial margin of 10% of the position value. If equity falls below approximately 0.5%, Binance’s risk engine automatically liquidates the position. The exchange listed BSB/USDT perpetual futures contracts at 11:45 a.m. UTC, introducing a product with no expiration date and an 8-hour funding rate mechanism designed to keep futures prices aligned with spot markets. To prevent manipulation, Binance uses a price index drawn from multiple spot exchanges. Early trading saw $2.5 million in notional volume across more than 500 positions, with most activity driven by arbitrage between spot and futures markets. Average leverage used was 4x, well below the 10x maximum, signaling cautious market entry. Leverage amplifies both gains and losses, a critical factor in cryptocurrency markets where daily swings of 5-10% are common. The launch followed a pre-launch phase of security audits and liquidity provider onboarding, part of a standardized protocol that includes gradual position limits and enhanced monitoring during the first 24 hours. Regulatory scrutiny has intensified in 2024, with global bodies like IOSCO recommending leverage caps and clearer risk disclosures for retail investors. Binance’s 10x limit reflects that shift, a marked reduction from earlier industry practices of 100x or more. The product is unavailable to retail users in the U.S., U.K., and several European countries due to local prohibitions on leveraged crypto derivatives. Binance’s 10x leverage aligns with emerging global norms, down from earlier industry highs of 100x.
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