Vitalik Buterin Throws Weight Behind Tornado Cash Developer in High-Stakes Legal Battle

Ethereum's co-founder steps into the courtroom fray, defending privacy as a fundamental right in the crypto ecosystem.

The Core Conflict: Code vs. Regulation

Buterin's intervention isn't just a celebrity endorsement—it's a philosophical grenade tossed into the heart of financial surveillance. He argues the developer merely built a tool; how others used it sits beyond a coder's control. This stance cuts to the core of decentralized ethos: can you jail a hammer's inventor if someone commits murder?

Privacy's Precarious Position

The legal fight exposes the raw nerve between innovation and oversight. Privacy protocols like Tornado Cash offer legitimate anonymity for whistleblowers or those fleeing authoritarian regimes. Yet regulators see a black hole where illicit funds vanish—a convenient scapegoat for their own failure to track sophisticated blockchain transactions. One Treasury official's nightmare is a cypherpunk's dream.

The Ripple Effect for Builders

A guilty verdict could freeze development overnight. Why build the next groundbreaking protocol if it lands you in a federal cage? Innovation would flee to friendlier jurisdictions, leaving the U.S. with... well, more bank-approved stablecoins and bored ape derivatives. The finance sector would quietly cheer—less competition for their rent-seeking fiefdoms.

Buterin's gamble highlights crypto's enduring tension: building unstoppable tools in a world desperate to stop them. The verdict won't just decide one developer's fate—it will signal whether code remains speech or becomes a crime. And Wall Street? They'll keep collecting fees on transparent, traceable, and thoroughly mediocre legacy systems.

TLDR

• Vitalik Buterin expresses support for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm in a public letter.
• Buterin condemns the prosecution of software developers for creating privacy tools like Tornado Cash.
• The Ethereum co-founder emphasizes the importance of privacy tools in protecting personal data from surveillance.
• Buterin contributed 50 ETH to Storm’s legal defense fund and praised his software’s lasting impact.
• The Tornado Cash developers have gained significant support, with millions raised for their legal defense.

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, expressed his support for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm in a letter published on Friday. Storm, who faces sentencing in the U.S. after a conviction on a money-transmitting conspiracy charge, is at the center of a legal battle that raises concerns about software development and privacy rights. Buterin condemned the prosecution, emphasizing the importance of privacy tools in defending against systemic data exploitation.

Vitalik Buterin Voices Support for Roman Storm

In his letter, Vitalik Buterin positioned the case of Roman Storm as a fight for privacy and personal autonomy. He explained that privacy tools like Tornado Cash are crucial in a world of increasing surveillance. “I have supported Roman Storm’s work from the beginning, both as a strong believer in the importance of privacy and as an active user of privacy tools,” Buterin stated. He praised Storm for creating usable software that continued to serve its purpose, even after its development ceased.

Done. Re-posting the contents for public consumption: pic.twitter.com/8nUrnkAz9w

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

Buterin further emphasized that privacy tools should not be criminalized. He argued that the ability to control personal information should be a basic right, not a political statement. Buterin also noted that software designed for privacy had historically been used to protect personal communication, movement, and financial activity. He stressed that this right is vital in a modern society dominated by corporate and government data collection.

Legal Support for Tornado Cash Developers

Buterin’s support for Storm goes beyond words. In December 2024, he contributed 50 ETH, valued at approximately $170,000 at the time, to Storm’s legal defense fund. The ethereum Foundation also pledged significant financial support, donating $500,000 in June 2024 and committing to match further community donations. The legal defense fund raised over $6.39 million in 2025, with additional contributions from blockchain privacy researchers and organizations.

The EF is donating $500K to the legal defense of Roman Storm, and we will match up to a further $750K in donations from the community.

Privacy is normal, and writing code is not a crime.

— Ethereum Foundation (@ethereumfndn) June 13, 2025

The Tornado Cash developers have not been the only targets of legal actions. Storm’s co-creator, Alexey Pertsev, received a 64-month prison sentence in the Netherlands for similar charges. Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues to escalate its legal efforts against privacy tool developers. In April 2024, the co-founders of Samourai Wallet were arrested on money laundering charges, further illustrating the increasing crackdown.

The legal challenges facing Tornado Cash developers have prompted widespread support from the crypto community and privacy advocates. In August 2025, over 110 crypto entities signed a letter urging Senate leaders to include protections for software developers in proposed legislation. These efforts follow statements from the U.S. Justice Department asserting that writing code is not a crime.

Despite the legal pressure, the growing support for developers like Roman Storm highlights the ongoing fight for privacy rights in the digital age. As the case unfolds, it may set a crucial precedent for the future of software development and personal privacy.