- CZ says he has not sought a refund of Binance’s $4.3B DOJ fine and calls the topic “delicate.”
- He states any future refund would stay in the US and be invested in American firms or technology.
- The 2023 DOJ settlement remains active, and a pardon does not reverse Binance’s corporate agreement.
CZ addressed new questions about the 2023 DOJ settlement and said he has not asked for any refund of the $4.3 billion fine, while adding that if funds were ever returned, he would invest them in the United States as a gesture of gratitude.
CZ Addresses Questions About the 2023 Settlement
CZ replied via X after a user asked if the $4.3 billion fine could now be refunded. He said the topic is “delicate,” and he added that he values the pardon he received. He explained that asking for more after that level of clemency may not feel right to him.
He also said he has not made any request for a refund. CZ stated that if any refund ever occurs, the money would remain in the United States. He added that he would invest the funds in American companies or technology as a way to show appreciation.
His comment spread across X, and users reacted in many ways. Some supported his tone, and others used humor to revisit the “$4.3 billion tuition fee” phrase. His line, “If you wait for others to change your life in 1 second, no one will be able to change your life in your lifetime,” gained wide attention.
Legal Questions and Industry Reaction
The $4.3 billion fine was part of a settlement imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2023 on Binance and its founder. CZ paid a separate $50 million personal fine and completed a four-month prison sentence in 2024. A pardon removes criminal penalties, yet it does not cancel corporate agreements.
For this reason, a refund of the 2023 fine is not automatic. Binance’s plea deal remains in effect, and legal teams rejected claims that the pardon involved improper payments. They said any such actions would be visible on blockchain records. The White House also denied those claims.
Reports also examined the exchange’s regulatory path. Some claims connected Binance to firms linked to the president’s family, but CZ publicly denied them. Binance has been outside the U.S. market since its plea, and observers note that a return is possible, though no timeline has been confirmed.
