From Prison to Pardon: Crypto’s Political Reset in 2025

[kevin1]

One of the most dramatic crypto comebacks of 2025 came through presidential pardons. Ross Ulbricht, imprisoned for more than a decade for creating Silk Road, was granted clemency by Donald Trump, reopening long-running debates about punishment, proportionality, and Bitcoin’s early history. Later in the year, Changpeng Zhao also received a pardon after serving time related to compliance failures at Binance.

Beyond the individuals, the signal mattered more than the symbolism. These moves marked a clear cooling of US hostility toward crypto founders and set the tone for a more permissive regulatory climate. Heading into 2026, entrepreneurs and institutions alike appear more willing to engage with crypto in the US, with less fear of sudden enforcement shocks defining the landscape.