U.S. President Donald Trump is considering about 250 presidential pardons to mark the United States' 250th anniversary, lifting expectations among defendants in major crypto-related criminal cases.

On May 13, the blockchain outlet BeInCrypto reported the plan is still at an early stage, but crypto figures including Sam Bankman-Fried and Roger Ver are already moving with the possibility of pardons in mind.

The discussion is drawing attention because several crypto-related pardons have already been granted in Trump's second term. Trump has issued more than 1,600 pardons and commutations during his second term. That is far more than the 250 in his entire first term. A significant number of those cases involved the crypto industry.

In October 2025, Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who had pleaded guilty to charges related to anti-money laundering violations. In the same year, BitMEX co-founders and Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht were also included among those pardoned. That has led to speculation that if a symbolic announcement grouping 250 people around the July 4 Independence Day period becomes reality, it could send an additional signal to the crypto industry.

The name most frequently mentioned is FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Bankman-Fried has waged a sustained campaign to shape public opinion after his conviction, but Trump explicitly rejected his request in January. Lobbying by people around him is reported to be continuing.

Trump, by contrast, left room in another case. Trump recently said he would "look into" the case of Keonne Rodriguez, chief executive of Samurai Wallet. The remarks are being taken as a sign that the possibility of pardons for crypto-industry defendants has not been completely closed off.

Ver is also moving actively. The early bitcoin supporter known as "Bitcoin Jesus" hired political consultant Roger Stone and released a video directly asking Trump for help. "Mr President, I am an American and I need help," Ver appealed, adding that "only your promise to justice can save me."

Some figures in the crypto industry also backed Ver publicly. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said of Ver's case, "Genuine good-faith mistakes should be handled, if necessary, by giving an opportunity to pay taxes with added interest and penalties, and should not be met with criminal prosecution." Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also known to have considered backing his case.

In addition, crypto miner Joby Weeks is aiming to be included among those pardoned after pleading guilty to tax-related charges. Former FTX executive Ryan Salame is quietly sounding out a pardon while publicly aligning himself with MAGA messages. Calls have also been raised to consider a pardon for Do Kwon, founder of the collapsed Terra-Luna ecosystem.

The pardon discussion is also a sensitive issue for markets and regulation. The U.S. Senate is already investigating Trump's crypto-related pardons. In that context, if a bundled announcement is made around July 4, political controversy could grow. For the administration, it would also provide a channel to group pardons under the symbolic occasion of a national holiday.

What the crypto industry is watching in particular is the regulatory signal beyond whether individual defendants are granted relief. The more crypto-related pardons are repeated, the more the U.S. regulatory climate read by prosecutors and exchanges could change. The outlet pointed to the possibility that if 250 pardons with symbolic meaning become reality, it could change perceptions of the legal costs and risks that must be borne when operating a crypto business in the United States.

There is also a possibility the final list, if pursued, could emerge within weeks rather than months. It remains unclear which founders, traders and hackers would be included, but through the summer the combination of major legal risks and political variables in the crypto industry is expected to keep drawing market attention.