The U.S. government recently sent two major signals indicating the full mainstreaming of the cryptocurrency industry in the country. The first signal is "technological approval." At a historic, non-public Fintech meeting held by the Federal Reserve, Governor Christopher Waller stated, "The digital finance industry (DeFi, or decentralized finance) is no longer under suspicion. We must embrace disruption, not avoid it." This addresses the acceptance of crypto assets by both technology and the financial system. The second signal is the removal of political barriers. On October 23, former President Donald Trump signed a pardon for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ). The Fed's "technological approval" and the White House's "political pardon" together lay the foundation for the full mainstreaming of cryptocurrencies, removing the last stumbling blocks at both technical and political levels.
Today, we focus on key questions surrounding these events, uncovering the story of money, power, and future wealth behind them: Why did Trump pardon CZ at this particular moment? Does it involve deeper transactions tied to his family's interests and crypto funds? How does the Fed's "streamlined master account" dismantle traditional banking monopolies and grant stablecoin companies "privileges" beyond intermediaries? With regulatory and political obstacles cleared, who will ultimately benefit from the AI × finance reshuffle?
**Why Did Trump Pardon CZ?** On October 23, Trump signed a pardon for CZ, who promptly expressed gratitude for the U.S. commitment to "fairness and innovation." When asked if the pardon was linked to his family's crypto dealings, Trump denied knowing CZ, calling the reporter "fake news." However, data suggests otherwise. Public records show Trump's family-owned World Liberty Financial (WLFI) launched the USD1 stablecoin in March 2025, with 90% of its circulation concentrated on Binance's blockchain. CZ, an early supporter, leveraged Binance's 300M-user ecosystem to provide technical and user backing. In May 2025, Abu Dhabi’s MGX invested $2B in USD1, propelling it into the top 10 stablecoins globally and netting Trump’s family over $50M. The pardon thus appears as a strategic payoff, though the deeper motive lies in U.S. competitiveness. With 40% of crypto firms relocating abroad due to regulatory chaos, Trump aims to reclaim global financial leadership by aligning with Binance, the world’s largest crypto platform. Politically, the move secures crypto industry support—reportedly $200M in campaign funds—while framing Democrats as anti-innovation.
**The Fed’s "Streamlined Master Account": Opening the Floodgates** Beyond politics, crypto’s mainstream integration requires the Fed’s endorsement. Governor Waller’s proposal for a "streamlined master account" allows qualified non-bank firms (e.g., stablecoin issuers like Circle) direct access to Fedwire, bypassing traditional banks. This revolutionizes finance by cutting costs, boosting efficiency (enabling 24/7 settlements), and reducing systemic risks tied to bank dependencies. While restricted (no loans, overdrafts, or interest), this "fast lane" accelerates payments, marking a seismic shift in U.S. financial infrastructure.
**AI Meets Finance: The Rise of "Agent Commerce"** ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood highlighted "Agent Commerce," where systems autonomously execute tasks (e.g., payments, rebalancing) via programmable stablecoins and on-chain settlements. This "autopilot" finance—enabled by smart contracts and digital wallets—could lift U.S. GDP growth to 7% by eliminating manual inefficiencies. Investors must now prioritize "cash-flow processing" over mere data-crunching, favoring AI infrastructure and payment platforms (e.g., stablecoins, compliant wallets).
**Data Proof: Efficiency Gains** Google Cloud and Coinbase quantified the AI-crypto synergy. Coinbase’s CFO revealed crypto transactions require 1 person for half a day versus 15 people over three days for fiat—a 30x efficiency leap. Such gains validate the fusion’s profit-boosting potential.
**Investment Strategy: Dual Tracks** 1. **Growth Plays**: Direct beneficiaries like Coinbase (COIN), Robinhood (HOOD), and infrastructure providers (Google, Circle, Chainlink). 2. **Blue-Chip Bridges**: Traditional giants like BlackRock (BLK), JPMorgan (JPM), and PayPal (PYPL) bridging legacy assets into crypto via tokenized funds and Fed-linked solutions.
In summary, Trump’s pardon and the Fed’s reforms pave the way for a faster, more efficient financial future—where AI and crypto jointly redefine profitability and growth.
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