More than 65 cryptocurrency organizations are calling on President Trump to intervene in the legal case against Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm, whose future remains uncertain following one felony conviction and potential retrial on two additional charges. The advocacy groups, including the Solana Policy Institute, Blockchain Association, and DeFi Education Fund, are seeking regulatory clarity and protection for decentralized finance amid ongoing prosecution, highlighting the escalating tension between crypto innovation and regulatory enforcement in the United States.
about Crypto Groups Urge Trump to Intervene in Tornado Cash CaseDeFi Education Fund
0 in Finance and 0 in Crypto last weekDeFi Could Save $30B Annually in Remittance Costs
Decentralized finance technology could revolutionize global money transfers by dramatically reducing costs for underserved populations. The DeFi Education Fund estimates potential annual savings of $30 billion through more efficient remittance infrastructure. This innovation promises to address financial exclusion while tackling the ‘poverty premium’ affecting low-income households worldwide.
about DeFi Could Save $30B Annually in Remittance CostsWhy Wall Street Circuit Breakers Fail in DeFi Markets
Traditional market safeguards like circuit breakers, designed to prevent panic selling on Wall Street, face fundamental incompatibility with decentralized finance. Following $19 billion in crypto liquidations last Friday, experts argue that DeFi’s autonomous architecture makes these traditional tools not just impractical but potentially harmful, creating price dislocations rather than preventing them.
about Why Wall Street Circuit Breakers Fail in DeFi MarketsDeFi Offers Financial Privacy Solution Amid Surveillance Concerns
Americans are increasingly demanding financial privacy as current surveillance systems fail to protect personal data while eroding individual dignity. Decentralized finance technology offers innovative solutions for data control that traditional banking cannot provide. This opinion piece examines the growing tension between privacy rights and financial surveillance, highlighting how DeFi represents a technological alternative to increasingly intrusive financial monitoring systems.
about DeFi Offers Financial Privacy Solution Amid Surveillance ConcernsCorporate vs. Public Blockchains: Regulatory Debate Intensifies
Variant Fund’s Jake Chervinsky asserts that decentralized public blockchains continue to set the regulatory benchmark, noting that no US regulator has demanded permissioned validators or built-in compliance tools. This stance contrasts with recent corporate L1 launches like Circle’s Arceeee and Stripe’s Tempo, which some view as regulatory arbitrage. VC Revaz Shmertz argues these corporate chains preemptively satisfy compliance needs, creating bifurcated adoption where compliant chains serve institutions while neutral protocols handle retail/DeFi. Meanwhile, the DeFi Education Fund has proposed five principles for a token safe harbor to the SEC, advocating technology-agnostic approaches and broad eligibility based on decentralization goals rather than genesis status.
about Corporate vs. Public Blockchains: Regulatory Debate IntensifiesSEC Shifts Crypto Strategy: Ends Regulation by Enforcement
In a landmark speech at the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium, SEC Chair Paul Atkins declared a fundamental shift in the agency’s approach to cryptocurrency regulation. The SEC will abandon its previous strategy of ‘regulation by enforcement’ and instead embrace innovation through ‘Project Crypto’—a initiative designed to attract crypto businesses to the U.S. by offering customized disclosures, exemptions, and safe harbors for various offerings including ICOs and airdrops. Atkins stated that most crypto tokens are not securities by nature, marking a dramatic departure from his predecessors’ views. The policy shift aligns with the Trump administration’s recent crypto policy recommendations and has already prompted major industry players to seek specific regulatory protections.
about SEC Shifts Crypto Strategy: Ends Regulation by Enforcementa16z, DeFi Fund Seek SEC Safe Harbor for NFTs, DeFi
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and the DeFi Education Fund have formally requested the SEC to create a safe harbor program, shielding NFT and DeFi applications from broker-dealer registration requirements. In a letter to SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, the groups cited the need for regulatory clarity and alignment with recommendations from the Trump-era Digital Assets Working Group. The move comes as SEC Chair Paul Atkins has signaled intentions to update outdated rules affecting crypto and blockchain innovations, highlighting growing industry pressure for regulatory flexibility.
about a16z, DeFi Fund Seek SEC Safe Harbor for NFTs, DeFiSEC Urged to Create Safe Harbor for DeFi Developers
Andreessen Horowitz and the DeFi Education Fund have submitted a proposal to the SEC requesting a safe harbor for decentralized app (dapp) developers, exempting them from broker-dealer classification if they meet specific decentralization criteria. The proposal outlines four key requirements for eligibility, including non-custodial operations and no investment recommendations. This initiative responds to the SEC’s ‘Project Crypto,’ which aims to clarify regulatory exemptions for crypto projects. The letter argues that premature enforcement of broker-dealer rules could stifle innovation and harm investors. The SEC has previously targeted centralized developers of dapps, but this proposal seeks to balance regulation with the unique nature of decentralized technologies.
about SEC Urged to Create Safe Harbor for DeFi DevelopersSamourai Wallet Founders Plead Guilty in $237M Case
The founders of Samourai Wallet, Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, pleaded guilty to conspiracy for operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, resulting in a $237 million forfeiture and a $400,000 fine. The DOJ dropped parallel money laundering charges, capping prison time at five years. Prosecutors argued that Rodriguez knowingly facilitated illicit transactions, though the defense framed the plea as a pragmatic compromise. The case highlights ongoing legal debates over non-custodial crypto software. Samourai Wallet, a privacy-focused Bitcoin app, was shut down in April after processing over $2 billion in transactions, including $100 million tied to dark-web markets.
about Samourai Wallet Founders Plead Guilty in $237M CaseSamourai Wallet Founders Plead Guilty to Unlicensed Money Transmitting
William Lonergan Hill and Keonne Rodriguez, the developers behind Bitcoin mixer Samourai Wallet, pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, potentially facing five years in prison. The DOJ agreed to drop a more serious money laundering charge that carried a 20-year sentence. Prosecutors alleged that Samourai Wallet facilitated over $100 million in illicit transactions, serving as a tool for criminals to launder money and evade sanctions. The case highlights ongoing legal battles around crypto privacy tools, with critics arguing the DOJ misinterprets money transmission laws. A judge will sentence the duo on November 6, while the broader debate over financial privacy in decentralized finance continues.
about Samourai Wallet Founders Plead Guilty to Unlicensed Money TransmittingHouse Passes Landmark Crypto Bills, GENIUS & CLARITY Acts
The House overwhelmingly passed the GENIUS Act, creating a federal framework for stablecoins, with 102 Democrats and 206 Republicans in support. The bill now awaits President Trump’s signature, with a signing ceremony already scheduled. The CLARITY Act, regulating broader crypto assets, also passed with surprising Democratic support (78 votes). Both bills signify a major win for crypto legitimacy, with industry leaders praising the bipartisan effort. A third bill, banning a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC), passed along party lines but faces Senate hurdles. The votes capped ‘Crypto Week,’ a legislative push nearly derailed by GOP infighting over anti-CBDC measures.
about House Passes Landmark Crypto Bills, GENIUS & CLARITY ActsCrypto Groups Challenge DOJ Over Money Transmission Laws
A coalition of crypto advocacy groups, including Paradigm, the DeFi Education Fund, and the Blockchain Association, has filed an amicus brief in support of a developer facing DOJ prosecution under money transmission laws. The groups contend that the DOJ is misapplying Section 1960 of title 18 of the US Code, originally designed for unlicensed money transmitters, to target open-source software developers. The case could have far-reaching implications for the DeFi ecosystem and the broader crypto industry, as it challenges the DOJ’s regulatory overreach. The outcome may influence how decentralized technologies are treated under existing financial laws.
about Crypto Groups Challenge DOJ Over Money Transmission Laws