Vitalik Buterin donates 30 ETH to Tornado Cash legal defense

As an analyst with a background in technology and privacy law, I believe that Vitalik Buterin’s stance on supporting Tornado Cash developers Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm is rooted in his strong belief in the importance of privacy in cryptocurrency transactions. His personal experience as a co-founder of Ethereum and a vocal advocate for privacy-centric tools has shaped his perspective on this issue.


Vitalik Buterin has expressed his ongoing backing for the Tornado Cash team members, Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm, despite allegations of money laundering levied against them.

As a crypto investor, on May 8th, I transferred 30 Ether tokens, worth around $113,000 at current market prices, to the Juicebox campaign named ‘Free Alexey & Roman.’

Buterin openly advocates for Pertsev and Storm, expressing his displeasure towards the court’s decision in their case. At DappCon in Berlin, he labeled Pertsev’s 64-month imprisonment as “unfortunate.”

In his opinion, creating software to safeguard privacy is a lawful and valid means to advocate for individual privacy rights.

Despite the Dutch court’s opposing view, Pertsev was found guilty of money laundering using the software he created. This development raises wider concerns for Storm, who is also under investigation for comparable offenses in the US.

Crypto mixers like Tornado Cash have been subjected to intense scrutiny from regulators due to concerns that they may be used illicitly by criminal elements to conceal the origins of their transactions.

In spite of the obstacles, Buterin stays hopeful about the future trial of Storm in the United States, anticipating “constructive outcomes.” He persistently advocates for the significance of privacy not only for those with ill intentions but also for the general population.

As a crypto investor and follower of the latest developments in the blockchain world, I’m excited about Buterin’s unwavering support for privacy-focused cryptocurrency tools. He has repeatedly championed the cause for advanced solutions like Railgun and 0xbow. In his own words, “Developing software that safeguards privacy is a lawful and legitimate means of protecting it.” Ethereum‘s co-founder continues to inspire the community with his vision for next-generation technology.

As a crypto investor and privacy enthusiast, I’m closely following the developments surrounding Tornado Cash and its legal battle. Edward Snowden, the renowned privacy advocate and former NSA whistleblower, has also shown his support for this cause. He’s publicly endorsed the fundraiser for Tornado Cash’s legal defense and called on anyone able to help out to do so.

According to Snowden, the argument against Tornado Cash comes across as illiberal and authoritarian. His viewpoint aligns with Buterin’s, emphasizing that privacy should not be considered a criminal act.

As a researcher studying this particular campaign, I’ve observed that after Vitalik’s significant contribution in Ethereum (ETH), the fundraising effort received numerous smaller donations. Accompanying these contributions were messages expressing sentiments of justice being served.

Vitalik Buterin donates 30 ETH to Tornado Cash legal defense

As of the release date, the Free Alexey & Roman fund has amassed a grand total of 559.81 Ether, which is equivalent to around two million US dollars.

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2024-05-30 11:15