Former Binance CEO’s sentencing delayed until April

The sentencing was originally scheduled for late February

share

Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao’s sentencing on money laundering charges was delayed until April, according to a court notice.

The delay pushes Zhao’s sentencing back two months. He originally was set to be sentenced on Feb. 23 after pleading guilty to the charges late last year. The former executive, per sentencing guidelines, is expected to face around 18 months in prison.

A report from the New York Times late last year suggested that officials could seek a “stiffer penalty.”

Zhao stepped down from his position at Binance as part of a settlement deal with the Department of Justice. He also agreed to pay a $50 million fine.

Read more: Here are the details of Binance and Changpeng Zhao’s plea deal

Currently, Zhao is out on a $175 million bail bond. However, he’s unable to leave the US. Late last year, he asked a US court to allow him leave to visit his family in the United Arab Emirates but was denied. Zhao is a citizen of Canada and the UAE. 

According to a previously sealed December court filing, Zhao pledged his equity in Binance.US, which could be worth over $4 billion based on previous funding figures. The court denied his request because the US does not have an extradition treaty with the UAE. 

The government argued that Zhao could use his “significant assets and strong connections to the UAE,” which would “allow him to evade his obligation to return to the United States for sentencing.”

Binance paid $4.3 billion in fines and reached settlement agreements with the DOJ, Treasury, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The exchange pleaded guilty to violating money sanctions laws, conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business and anti-money laundering violations. 

Binance and Zhao “chose not to comply with US legal and regulatory requirements because it determined that doing so would limit its ability to attract and maintain US users,” the DOJ said at the time.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Unlocked by Template (1).jpg

Research

As AI supercharges surveillance, privacy becomes a prerequisite and the winning stack will combine confidentiality with selective disclosure. Zcash’s Tachyon, composable standards on Ethereum/Solana, and compliance-aware pools aim to make private rails the new norm.

article-image

The derivatives giant will extend futures and options access to round-the-clock trading in early 2026

by Blockworks /
article-image

Global fiber network goes live as SEC clears 2Z token for utility use

by Blockworks /
article-image

The SPAC transaction positions Avalanche Treasury Co. as a Nasdaq-listed vehicle for institutional AVAX exposure by 2026

by Blockworks /
article-image

The collaboration brings regulated money market fund exposure to Polygon, with custody provided by Standard Chartered

by Blockworks /
article-image

FG Nexus teams with Securitize to bring its Nasdaq-listed equity onchain, offering tokenized stock trading through Ethereum

by Blockworks /
article-image

Sponsored

Taiko launches binding onchain governance and appoints three directors with expertise in global regulation, business strategy and blockchain tech

by Sponsored /