Naija, make una hear wetin dey happen for crypto world. Two big men wey dey control exchange, Star Xu of OKX and Changpeng Zhao wey dem dey call CZ of Binance, don start to fight again. Dis fight don dey since 2015, but now e don come back with full force. CZ just release im memoir book, and Star Xu say im dey lie for inside. Im call am “habitual liar” for X platform. Na serious matter dis one.
Wetin cause am? According to wetin dem dey yarn, e start from time wey CZ dey work for OKCoin under Star Xu. Dem accuse CZ of contract forgery for one deal with Roger Ver, big Bitcoin man. CZ don deny am since 2015, but Star Xu say im get video evidence and old documents wey show say CZ mislead people. Now, because of di book, Star Xu say im no fit keep quiet again. Im say: “After spending four months in prison, he continues to make false statements to the world. All I can say is: a habitual liar never changes their nature.” Strong words.
Di fight don enter personal matter sef. Star Xu question CZ marital status. Im refer to one letter wey describe CZ spouse as im wife and challenge am to show divorce agreement. CZ respond say im officially divorced and even challenge Star Xu to $1 billion bet to prove am. Im say lawyers fit confirm without showing public document. Star Xu reject di bet, talk say because of compliance for regulated exchange. Instead, im ask whether CZ Binance stake don separate legally after divorce. CZ say dat one na im private matter and no concern Star Xu.
Dis fight no be small thing. Dem be two of di biggest crypto exchange founders for di world. Binance and OKX dey control large market share. Analysts say di rivalry don dey since CZ leave OKCoin start Binance. Personal and professional matter don mix. Even Huobi founder Leon Li name come enter di gist. CZ accuse Star Xu of reporting Leon Li to Chinese officials. Star Xu deny am, talk say major Asian crypto platforms dey under pressure from regulation.
Meanwhile, for another corner, Trump family crypto project, World Liberty Financial, dey cause wahala. Dem use billions of dia own WLFI token as collateral to borrow stablecoin for lending platform wey dem call Dolomite. Dem borrow about $75 million, including $65.4 million of dia own USD1 stablecoin. Dolomite co-founder Corey Caplan sef be chief technology officer for World Liberty Financial. People dey compare am to how FTX collapse happen, when Alameda Research borrow against FTT token on FTX exchange. But dis one dey play out for public blockchain, everyone fit see am.
CryptoSlate report say World Liberty Financial treasury collateral account for about 55% of Dolomite total value locked. If WLFI price drop, e fit cause large liquidations and bad debt for other depositors. WLFI token no get deep market, so forced selling fit crash price well well. World Liberty Financial team don respond for X, dismiss di concerns as “FUD.” Dem describe demself as “anchor borrower” wey dey generate higher yields and say dem “nowhere near liquidation.” Dem talk say dem go just supply more WLFI tokens if price move against dem. But WLFI token don already lose nearly 20% since Wednesday.
Di Trump connection dey deep. SEC just settle case against Justin Sun and im companies for $10 million over allegations of selling unregistered securities and wash trading. Justin Sun hold large positions for WLFI and TRUMP memecoin. Democrats for House Financial Services Committee talk say na pay-to-play influence. UAE-linked firm wey Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan dey lead sign $500 million deal for 49% stake in World Liberty Financial, with $187 million paid upfront to Trump family entities. Eric Trump sign di agreement. Senator Chris Murphy call am corruption.
White House matter join. President Donald Trump don pardon Binance founder Changpeng Zhao after im conviction for Bank Secrecy Act violations. Former DOJ pardon chief Elizabeth Oyer label am “unprecedented corruption” because Binance get subsequent $2 billion position for USD1 stablecoin. No similar relief come for developers of Samourai Wallet wey get longer prison sentences for similar charges. Democrats highlight inconsistencies and dey call for stronger ethics safeguards for pending CLARITY Act.
Trump pardon power dey make news sef. The Wall Street Journal report say Trump promise for closed-door meeting to “pardon everyone who has come within 200 feet of the Oval Office.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt respond say: “The Wall Street Journal should learn to take a joke; however, the President’s pardon power is absolute.” Trump don issue around 1,600 pardons during im time. On January 20, 2025, im pardon 1,500 people charged for January 6 Capitol attacks. Im also commute sentences for leaders of Oath Keepers and Proud Boys.
For October 2025, Trump pardon former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt say im exercise constitutional authority and talk say Zhao na victim of Biden administration “war on cryptocurrency.” But The Wall Street Journal report in August say Trump family crypto enterprise receive support through “low-profile trading platform operated behind the scenes by Binance” and earn estimated $4.5 billion since 2024 election. For interview with 60 Minutes, Trump claim im “no idea who Zhao is” and say im na victim of “witch-hunt” by former president Joe Biden.
All dis dey happen as CZ dey talk about crypto future. For Scott Melker Wolf of All Streets podcast, CZ say im hope say by 2031, cryptocurrency and blockchain go become invisible part of daily infrastructure like internet today. Im talk say: “I’m hoping that we don’t talk about crypto as crypto in five years, just like we don’t talk about the internet anymore.” Im add say AI go speed up blockchain development and countries wey avoid blockchain and AI go fall behind. Im mention United Arab Emirates as global leader for AI adoption.
Di whole scene dey show how crypto world dey mix with politics, personal rivalry, and big money. From Star Xu and CZ fight over past contract to Trump family project borrowing against dia own token, to presidential pardons wey dey raise corruption allegations. E dey complex. Analysts say di rivalry among Chinese crypto pioneers like CZ, Star Xu, Leon Li, and Justin Sun dey shape public opinion. Dem face pressure from Beijing between 2017 and 2022, with arrests and forced relocation abroad. None of di main claims for dis dispute don independently verify. Di alleged screenshot implicating Leon Lin remain unpublished. Evidence for 2014 contract still dey debate after more than 10 years. Naija, dis one na gist wey no dey finish.
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