$50,000 Golden Statue Honoring Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao Unveiled After Presidential Pardon

A four-meter-tall golden statue of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) was unveiled outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, just days after his presidential pardon. The project, valued at $50,000, was funded by an anonymous collective and symbolizes the crypto community’s continued admiration for Zhao. Alongside the statue, a new meme token named CZSTATUE launched on BNB Chain, quickly reaching a market capitalization of approximately $577,000, sparking discussions about transparency and insider trading.

Organizer Nick Zee revealed that four anonymous individuals financed the 14-foot statue, produced using CNC milling technology over four weeks. The sculpture captures Zhao’s iconic four-finger gesture, a nod to his 2023 declaration to resist fear, uncertainty, and doubt during intense regulatory scrutiny. The statue will be displayed briefly before being gifted to Zhao or auctioned to benefit Giggle Academy, Zhao’s nonprofit focused on global education.

Zee claimed the statue was inspired by perceived injustices against Zhao and his recent pardon, but the financiers’ identities remain undisclosed. Binance stated it had no official involvement in the project. The linked CZSTATUE token, however, has drawn attention for unusual trading activity. Analysts noted a whale wallet that allegedly profited $57,000 shortly after Zhao’s pardon, fueling speculation of insider trading around event-driven meme tokens.

Zhao’s 2023 guilty plea in an anti-money laundering case led to a $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities and a four-month prison sentence. His recent pardon by President Trump prompted criticism from Senator Elizabeth Warren, who labeled the decision as politically motivated. Meanwhile, BNB prices have surged 18% in the past month, trading around $1,140, highlighting how Zhao’s influence continues to shape the cryptocurrency market.