Vitalik Buterin criticizes the criminalization of the code in the Tornado Cash case.

• Vitalik Buterin supports the developer of Tornado Cash.
• Case reignites debate about privacy in cryptocurrencies.
• Industry reacts to legal pressure on developers.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly expressed his support for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm by publishing a letter criticizing the criminalization of privacy-focused software development. Storm is awaiting sentencing in the United States after being convicted in August of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and could face up to five years in prison.

Done. Re-posting the contents for public consumption:

- vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 9, 2026

Formally charged by the Department of Justice in August 2023, Storm remains free on bail since a judge determined he did not pose a flight risk. The conviction, however, has once again highlighted the role of privacy tools in the cryptocurrency ecosystem and the legal limits imposed on developers.

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In the letter, Buterin frames the case as an attempt to punish the creation of code, not direct financial harm. Tornado Cash, a non-custodial platform focused on mixing cryptocurrencies, was identified by US authorities as a service used to launder more than $1 billion in illicit funds. Despite this, the jury did not reach a verdict on additional charges of money laundering and sanctions violations.

Buterin highlighted the legitimate use of privacy tools, including by himself, to make technical payments and support human rights organizations without the massive collection of data.

"From the beginning, I have supported Roman Storm's work, both because I firmly believe in the importance of privacy and because I am an active user of privacy tools, including those developed by Roman,"

wrote Buterin.

“Unlike some others, who use these causes as an excuse to profit and write software with flashy advertising but internal flaws, Roman's applications remained usable even years after he stopped developing them — that alone, in my view, makes him more honorable than much of what is considered 'consumer technology' in the modern world.”

Support for the developer was also reflected in financial contributions. Buterin donated 50 ETH to Storm's legal defense fund, while the Ethereum Foundation allocated additional resources and encouraged donations from the community. By 2025, the fund had raised over US$6,39 million, with support from researchers, investment studios, and entities from different networks.

Storm's case comes amid a global crackdown on developers of privacy tools. Tornado Cash co-founder Alexey Pertsev was convicted in the Netherlands, while the creators of Samourai Wallet received prison sentences in the United States. Meanwhile, industry groups are pushing for legal safeguards that differentiate between code development and its misuse by third parties.

This debate gained political attention after US President Donald Trump stated, "I've heard about it, I'll look into it," when questioned about a possible pardon related to similar cases, reinforcing the relevance of the topic in the current regulatory debate.