WASHINGTON — Based on the Administration’s review of the novel legal and policy issues raised by use of financial sanctions against financial and commercial activity occurring within evolving technology and legal environments, we have exercised our discretion to remove the economic sanctions against Tornado Cash as reflected in Treasury’s Monday filing in Van Loon v. Department of the Treasury.
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This is a sensible ruling. The sanctions were to prevent DPRK from using this protocol. In a traditional financial world this would be easy-ish with good KYC.
The fact U.S. people were blocked by sanctions was a side effect (eg; cannot distinguish between them). But the whole thing was pointless, as DPRK could still use it, of course, and U.S. people were the only ones negatively affected. To acknowledge this reality is quite pragmatic and reflects the reality of decentralized financial code on the Internet today.
Honestly.... what took so long?!?!?! I honestly thought this would have been on of the first crypto things he did.
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Wow big news here!
So, the U.S. government decided to lift the sanctions on Tornado Cash, that crypto mixer that was under fire for allegedly helping with money laundering. Basically, after reviewing the case, they now think it makes sense to allow the platform again. But this raises a big debate: financial privacy vs. the risk of digital crime.
On one hand: Financial freedom mattersOn one hand: Financial freedom matters
Tornado Cash was created to provide privacy in transactions, which, let’s be honest, a lot of people want—whether it’s because they worry about government surveillance or simply don’t want everyone seeing their spending habits. Some people use it legitimately, like journalists in oppressive regimes, activists, or even companies that want to keep their transactions private.
But here’s the other side: Criminals love anonymityBut here’s the other side: Criminals love anonymity
The problem is that extreme privacy is also a goldmine for scammers, hackers, and even groups funding illegal activities. Tornado Cash has already been accused of being used by North Korean hackers to launder millions of stolen dollars. So, the U.S. government’s concerns weren’t completely out of nowhere—they had a reason to crack down on it.
So, what now?So, what now?
Lifting the sanctions could mean the government is trying to take a more nuanced approach instead of just outright banning the technology. After all, regulating crypto and decentralized platforms is a nightmare—shut one down, and three new ones pop up. But this move might also send a mixed message: will criminals feel even more comfortable using crypto mixers now?
At the end of the day…At the end of the day…
The dilemma is always the same: how do you balance privacy and security? Leaving everything open can make crimes easier, but banning everything also hurts people who just want to protect their finances. The challenge now is seeing how the government will handle this moving forward—because this story is far from over!