Vitalik Buterin has stepped into one of the most consequential legal battles in crypto, as sentencing approaches for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm.
The Ethereum co-founder’s appeal comes at a moment when the industry is grappling with the boundaries between software development, privacy, and criminal liability.
Storm, a key developer behind the crypto mixer Tornado Cash, was convicted in the United States of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
While jurors failed to reach verdicts on more serious money laundering and sanctions-related charges, the conviction still carries the possibility of years in prison.
Storm remains free on bail, but his sentencing now looms as a pivotal moment for both his future and the broader crypto ecosystem.
Against this backdrop, Buterin has chosen to speak publicly and forcefully.
He argues that the case represents a dangerous precedent that risks criminalising the act of writing open-source code.
Buterin’s message is not only about one developer, but about the long-term consequences for innovation and privacy in digital systems.
Vitalik Buterin’s public appeal grounded in principle
Buterin published an open letter calling for leniency and understanding in Storm’s case.
He later reposted the full letter on X to ensure it reached a wider public audience.
Done. Re-posting the contents for public consumption:
In that message, Buterin framed Storm as a software builder rather than a criminal actor.
He stressed that Tornado Cash is a neutral privacy tool, not a scheme designed to facilitate wrongdoing.
According to Buterin, holding developers responsible for how others use their code undermines the very idea of open-source software.
He warned that such logic could extend far beyond crypto, affecting developers across many fields.
Buterin also emphasised that privacy tools serve legitimate and often essential purposes.
He pointed to growing data surveillance, cybercrime, and personal security risks as reasons people seek financial privacy.
In his view, privacy is not an optional feature but a basic requirement of digital freedom.
Buterin added a personal dimension by noting that he himself has used privacy-focused tools.
He described Storm as a careful and principled developer whose work reflects a desire to build robust, user-respecting infrastructure.
This framing was intended to humanise Storm and counter narratives that portray Tornado Cash developers as facilitators of crime.
Tornado Cash developer sentencing
Storm’s prosecution follows an increasingly aggressive stance by authorities toward crypto privacy tools.
Regulators argue that mixers like Tornado Cash have been used to launder funds linked to hacks and illicit activity.
Developers and civil liberties advocates counter that misuse by third parties should not define a technology’s legality.
The case has already sent shockwaves through the crypto developer community.
Many fear it could discourage engineers from working on privacy, security, or decentralised infrastructure.
Buterin’s appeal reflects these broader concerns. He sees Storm’s sentencing as a test of whether intent and authorship still matter in software law.
The Ethereum Foundation has backed that position with concrete support.
It has donated substantial funds to Storm’s legal defence and pledged to match further community contributions.
Buterin himself has also contributed personally, signalling that his stance goes beyond words.
Industry groups and advocacy organisations have echoed similar arguments in public letters and statements.
They argue that punishing developers for publishing code erodes legal clarity and innovation incentives.
As sentencing approaches, the court’s decision will carry symbolic weight far beyond Storm’s case.
For many in crypto, it will indicate whether privacy-focused development remains viable in the United States.
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