FBI Warns Against Using Unregistered Cryptocurrency Money Transmitting Services

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning about using unregistered cryptocurrency money transmitting services that fail to comply with U.S. anti-money laundering laws. The agency has provided tips for the public to protect themselves, advising them to avoid providers that do not require Know Your Customer (KYC) information. FBI’s Crypto Warning The … Read more

DOJ Counters Motion to Dismiss Charges Against Tornado Cash Developer

In a notable development, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has countered a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against Roman Semenov, a developer of the cryptocurrency mixing service Tornado Cash, highlighting the alleged strength of its case in a recent court submission. Prosecutors Assert Strong Evidence Is Coming in Tornado Cash Laundering Case The … Read more

Zksnacks Bars US Users from Wasabi Wallet in Wake of Samourai Indictment

In a decisive move, Zksnacks announced on Saturday that it will block all U.S. residents and citizens from accessing its bitcoin mixer, Wasabi Wallet. This policy change comes as U.S. authorities intensify their crackdown on unregulated crypto activities, spotlighting the recent indictment of Samourai Wallet founders. Wasabi Wallet Withdraws from U.S. Market to Avoid Regulatory … Read more

Crypto Community Loses OXT Analysis Tool Amid Legal Troubles for Samourai Wallet

After the Samourai Wallet indictment, the cryptocurrency community discovered that the Bitcoin blockchain analysis platform OXT is no longer operational, as it was acquired by the Samourai team in December 2017. On April 25, Laurentmt, a co-founder of OXT and bitcoin advocate, revealed the closure on the social media site X with the statement, “RIP … Read more

Acinq to Withdraw Phoenix Wallet From US Markets Amid Regulatory Concerns

On Friday, April 26, Acinq announced that its Lightning Network bitcoin wallet, Phoenix, will cease services for U.S. residents from May 3, 2024. This announcement followed closely on the heels of the Samourai Wallet indictment and what is perceived as a targeted U.S. government effort against financial privacy and non-custodial solutions. Lightning Network Platform Phoenix … Read more

Edward Snowden Defends Crypto Privacy, Criticizes DOJ for Samourai Wallet Arrests

Edward Snowden criticized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for targeting app developers aimed at restoring financial privacy, responding to the arrest of the founders and CEO of cryptocurrency mixing service Samourai Wallet on charges related to money laundering and operating without a license. Snowden’s remarks show his ongoing support for financial privacy within the … Read more

US Authorities Charge Founders of Bitcoin Mixer Samourai Wallet for Laundering Over $100 Million

The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted the founders of Samourai Wallet, Keonne Rodriguez, and William Lonergan Hill, on charges of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business and laundering over $100 million through illicit transactions. DOJ Indicts Samourai Wallet Founders for Allegedly Operating $100 Million Crypto Laundering Ring According to the indictment unsealed by the Southern … Read more

Trezor Enables Coinjoin for Trezor T Model to Bolster a ‘New Era of Privacy’

According to Trezor, the crypto hardware wallet manufacturer, owners of the Trezor T model can now use a Coinjoin feature to preserve their privacy. Trezor had announced the Coinjoin feature’s impending arrival on the hardware wallet seven months ago, and the feature went live on April 19. Trezor Adds Coinjoin to Software Suite Owners of … Read more

Wasabi Wallet to Begin Censoring Coinjoin Transactions

Wasabi Wallet, a privacy-oriented bitcoin-only wallet, has announced it will start introducing censorship methods into its mixing procedures. The announcement was made on social media, where the official account of Wasabi explained that a blacklist will prevent some UTXOs (unspent transaction outputs) from registering to Coinjoins, the method Wasabi and other wallets use to enhance … Read more

De-Mixing Wasabi Coinjoin Transactions: A Deep Dive Into Chainalysis’ Deanonymizing Claims

On Tuesday, journalist Laura Shin published a story that claims to identify the 2016 Genesis DAO hacker who siphoned 3.6 million ethereum from the decentralized autonomous organization. While the story surprised the crypto community, one of the biggest eye-openers was the blockchain analysis methods leveraged, and the claim that Chainalysis allegedly “de-mixed” Wasabi transactions. Community … Read more