Weekly Crypto Regulation Roundup: CZ Pardon Talks Gain Momentum as States Advance Crypto Policy
The previous week introduced a flurry of regulatory and political developments within the U.S. crypto sector—from a possible pardon for Binance’s Changpeng “CZ” Zhao to states taking daring legislative steps round digital belongings. At the identical time, the federal authorities faces continued gridlock over funding, and regulators are pursuing their largest-ever crypto seizure tied to world fraud.
Congress Faces Deadlock, Polymarket Bettors Predict Delay
As the U.S. authorities shutdown extends into its third week, individuals on the decentralized prediction platform Polymarket are betting heavily that Congress won’t go a spending invoice till November.
According to the most recent knowledge, 84% of bettors imagine lawmakers will attain a deal by November 30, whereas simply 30% foresee a breakthrough by October 31. Only 1% anticipate decision by October 15, exhibiting deep skepticism about Washington’s skill to maneuver swiftly.

The ongoing deadlock has already led to hundreds of federal staff being furloughed, with Vice President JD Vance warning that additional job losses are doubtless if Congress fails to interrupt the stalemate.
The prediction market sentiment mirrors the rising frustration throughout the political spectrum—and exhibits how blockchain-based platforms like Polymarket have gotten a real-time barometer for political and financial sentiment.
Trump Administration’s CZ Pardon Talks Reportedly Heating Up
In a growth that has electrified each political and crypto circles, the New York Post studies counsel that the Trump administration has ramped up discussions a couple of potential pardon for Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.
According to Fox Business correspondent Charles Gasparino, folks near the President say Trump “is leaning towards a pardon,” regardless of considerations about the way it would possibly seem given his administration’s ties to the crypto business.
“Many Trump insiders imagine the fraud case in opposition to CZ was weak and didn’t benefit a felony conviction or jail time,” Gasparino famous, including that such a transfer may “set the stage for CZ’s return to the crypto alternate.”
If granted, the pardon would mark a serious political and authorized turnaround for Zhao, who stepped down as Binance CEO final 12 months after pleading responsible to U.S. anti-money laundering violations. The talks additionally point out how digital belongings stay entangled in U.S. political narratives heading into the 2026 election cycle.
California and Florida Chart Divergent Crypto Paths
At the state degree, California has made historical past by changing into the primary U.S. state to protect unclaimed crypto from forced liquidation. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 822 into legislation, guaranteeing that dormant digital belongings like Bitcoin and Ethereum stay of their authentic kind when transferred to state custody underneath the Unclaimed Property Law (UPL).
The invoice, authored by Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), mandates that custodians notify house owners earlier than declaring crypto unclaimed. The measure—handed unanimously in each legislative chambers—signifies California’s rising maturity in addressing digital property rights.
Meanwhile, throughout the nation, Florida lawmakers are pushing for a extra proactive, investment-driven method. The state’s House Bill 183, launched for the 2026 legislative session, would enable Florida to take a position as much as 10% of public funds in Bitcoin and crypto ETFs, together with allocations from the General Revenue Fund and the Budget Stabilization Fund.
Former CFO Jimmy Patronis, who has lengthy described Bitcoin as “digital gold,” argues that the transfer may assist diversify Florida’s portfolio and strengthen its monetary resilience. Together, California and Florida are setting contrasting precedents—one emphasizing shopper safety, the opposite financial alternative.
U.S. Launches Record $12B BTC Seizure in Global Crackdown
In the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. history, federal authorities have moved to confiscate 127,000 Bitcoin (price over $12 billion) linked to a worldwide “pig butchering” rip-off.
The Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Treasury, and U.Ok. authorities collectively focused Prince Holding Group, a Cambodia-based conglomerate led by Chen Zhi (Vincent). The community allegedly laundered billions by shell companies, crypto mining operations, and exchanges, exploiting victims throughout Asia and past by on-line romance and funding scams.
Court filings within the Eastern District of New York element the transnational nature of the operation, with human trafficking and compelled labor intertwined with monetary fraud. U.S. prosecutors described it as “probably the most subtle on-line rip-off ecosystems ever dismantled.”
The scale of the seizure exhibits Washington’s escalating efforts to fight crypto-driven crime whereas coordinating extra intently with world regulators and enforcement businesses.
The Big Picture: Politics, Policy, and Power Collide
This week’s developments present the evolving complexity of the U.S. crypto coverage surroundings. As states assert their autonomy, federal businesses ramp up enforcement, and political actors use crypto as a coverage lever, the business faces a defining second.
The mixture of state innovation (California’s shopper safety, Florida’s Bitcoin funding proposal) and federal crackdowns (the DOJ’s document seizure) displays each alternative and uncertainty for the sector.
Meanwhile, the CZ pardon rumors reveal how deeply intertwined digital belongings have grow to be with U.S. politics—a reminder that crypto is not only a monetary story, however a geopolitical and cultural one too.
With Congress gridlocked and prediction markets betting on extended dysfunction, the trail ahead for crypto regulation could rely much less on Washington and extra on the states—and the folks daring sufficient to form coverage from the bottom up.
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A majority of Polymarket bettors imagine that Congress will go a funding invoice in November, a brand new ballot exhibits.
Trump has thought of pardoning Binance founder
California has grow to be the primary US state to formally shield unclaimed crypto from being forcibly transformed to money.