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SEC’s Peirce Defends Crypto Privacy Rights as Tornado Cash Developer Awaits Verdict

2025-08-05 09:18:17

SEC’s Peirce Defends Crypto Privacy Rights as Tornado Cash Developer Awaits Verdict

Main Idea

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce defends crypto privacy rights, criticizing outdated financial surveillance laws like the Bank Secrecy Act, while Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm faces legal challenges.

Key Points

1. Peirce argues that the Bank Secrecy Act's framework is outdated and infringes on privacy, advocating for zero-knowledge proofs and encrypted networks.

2. The case against Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm involves disputed evidence, including a misattributed Telegram message related to the $600 million Axie Infinity hack.

3. Peirce criticizes the SEC's Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) for excessive data collection, with calls for reforms to address privacy concerns.

4. The Ethereum Foundation has pledged $500,000 for legal defense in the Tornado Cash case, highlighting industry support for open-source software development.

5. Peirce's stance aligns with broader regulatory shifts under the Trump administration's 'Project Crypto' initiative, aiming to modernize crypto regulations.

Description

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce delivered a forceful defense of financial privacy rights on August 4, arguing that Americans should retain the ability to use privacy-protecting crypto technologies without government surveillance. Her remarks at Stanford’s Science of Blockchain Conference come as Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm faces criminal trial for allegedly facilitating $1 billion in illicit transactions through the sanctioned crypto mixer. Fourth Amendment Protections Eroded by Third-Par...

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