Haciyev Reşit 
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he has no plans to pardon former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). During his election campaign, Trump fulfilled some of his Bitcoin-related promises and, after taking office, pardoned Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. He later also issued a pardon for Binance founder CZ. However, it appears that former FTX CEO SBF will be left out of this chain of pardons.
Clear Statement from Trump
In an interview with The New York Times, Trump clearly stated that he has no intention of pardoning former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). This announcement effectively put an end to long-standing speculation within the crypto community about a potential pardon. SBF was convicted on seven serious charges, including the misuse of customer funds and financial misconduct at FTX, and was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2023. The conviction sent shockwaves through the crypto world, highlighting the scale of SBF’s financial scandal. Trump’s remarks have, for now, extinguished hopes of a pardon held by SBF’s family and supporters, underscoring that the legal process will be serious and long-term.
Alongside SBF, former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan Salame also received prison sentences, though for shorter durations compared to SBF. It is known that Ryan Salame has applied for a pardon.
SBF’s family continues to hope for a pardon from President Trump, arguing that most FTX customers have recovered a large portion of their lost funds and that the sentence is excessively harsh. However, SBF has not garnered broad public support, making a pardon highly unlikely. Unlike Ulbricht, Bankman-Fried lacks significant grassroots backing.
Drop in Prediction Markets
Following President Trump’s statement that he will not pardon SBF, a sharp decline was observed in crypto and financial prediction markets. Market data indicate a pullback after the possibility of a pardon faded. Analysts note that investors interpreted the news as a risk signal, increasing short-term volatility. This movement highlights the direct impact of Trump’s pardon decisions on crypto markets and investor expectations.
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