Regulatory Overreach and the Future of Open Source

Open-source software is speech. It is published, reviewed, and improved in public. Yet the Samourai indictment suggests that publishing privacy-preserving code can itself be treated as a criminal act.

A Chilling Effect

If the prosecution succeeds, developers of wallets, mixers, privacy coins, and even encrypted messaging tools could face similar charges. The chilling effect on financial privacy innovation would be profound.

What We Are Calling For

We support a clear legal distinction between writing software and operating a financial service. Developers should not be held liable for the independent actions of users.