BREAKING: Binance Co-Founder Changpeng Zhao Officially Released From Prison

Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as "CZ" in the crypto community, was released from prison on Friday, September 27, after serving a four-month sentence for inadequate anti-money laundering (AML) compliance.

His early release, just days before the official September 29 date, has drawn attention.

This decision is in accordance with prison guidelines, which permit inmates to be freed on the final weekday if their scheduled release falls on a weekend or holiday. Zhao, who co-founded Binance, the largest crypto exchange globally, has been embroiled in legal troubles since 2021.

Though his prison time was relatively brief, the repercussions have been considerable. Strict conditions now limit his future participation in Binance, preventing him from taking any key leadership or strategic role within the company.

Zhao’s legal issues surfaced as Binance expanded rapidly, attracting regulatory scrutiny. Authorities began questioning the exchange’s adherence to financial rules, accusing it of operating without necessary licenses and conducting unregulated securities trading.

Additionally, the company was criticized for its insufficient AML and Know Your Customer (KYC) practices, raising concerns about the platform being used for illegal trading. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) intensified the pressure by filing a lawsuit against Binance in March 2023, alleging that the platform allowed U.S. customers to trade crypto derivatives without proper registration and had weak AML controls, all under Zhao’s leadership.