Aster News Today: Trump's Pardon Ignites Binance Airdrop and Crypto Market Surge

Binance Alpha will list Common (COMMON) with a first-stage airdrop threshold of 255 points, signaling renewed investor interest in the exchange's token incentives. The move comes amid broader crypto market optimism following U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, which has ignited a rally across digital assets.

Trump's pardon, issued on October 23, 2025, erased Zhao's conviction and restored his civil rights, enabling him to reengage in U.S. business operations, according to Business Standard. This decision spurred immediate gains in major cryptocurrencies, with Binance Coin (BNB) rising 5.3% to $1,128 and Bitcoin climbing 2.18% to $109,955.70. Analysts attribute the surge to perceptions of a regulatory shift under Trump's administration, which has positioned itself as pro-crypto.

The pardon's ripple effect extended to altcoins, with World Liberty Financial (WLFI) and Aster (ASTER) both posting double-digit gains — WLFI hit a local high of $0.14 and ASTER jumped 20%, according to TradingView. JPMorgan analysts further amplified bullish sentiment, upgrading Coinbase to a $404 price target and citing a potential $34 billion opportunity in its Base token, as reported by CoinDesk.

Binance Alpha's latest airdrop initiative, however, underscores the exchange's strategy to reward loyalty. Users holding at least 255 Binance Alpha Points will receive 200 COMMON tokens, with thresholds decreasing hourly if unclaimed. This follows similar airdrops for APRO (AT) and Orochi Network (ON); Lookonchain said APRO required 220 points for 200 tokens, and Lookonchain described the dynamic pricing mechanism—reducing thresholds by 15 points hourly—to accelerate token distribution while incentivizing early participation.

The pardon also reignited debates about regulatory clarity. Zhao's $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities in 2024, which included a $50 million fine and his resignation as CEO, was framed as a compliance oversight rather than criminal intent. Trump's intervention, while criticized by some as politically motivated, has been hailed by crypto advocates as a step toward dismantling the "war on crypto" rhetoric of the previous administration.

Meanwhile, broader market challenges persist. Booz Allen Hamilton, a key player in government contracting, reported a 5% year-over-year decline in national security portfolio revenue, though its cyber and AI divisions showed resilience, according to Yahoo Finance. Conversely, Pi Network's price has plummeted 90% to $0.2052, despite ecosystem updates, highlighting the sector's volatility.

The Binance Alpha airdrops are part of a broader trend of exchanges leveraging token economics to drive user engagement. By offering tiered rewards, platforms like Binance aim to balance accessibility with exclusivity, fostering a sense of community among active participants.