This Friday, via his X account, Vitalik Buterin published a statement urging authorities not to punish software creation in the Tornado Cash case. Facing the imminent sentencing of developer Roman Storm, Buterin warned that prosecutors are criminalizing open-source authorship instead of pursuing direct financial harm, defending privacy as a necessary response to mass surveillance.
This trial has made a significant impact, as Buterin aligned the publication of code with the right to free speech. In addition to his rhetorical support, he confirmed personal donations to Storm’s defense fund, which raised over $6.3 million in 2025.
The entire ecosystem is closely watching the judge’s final decision, which could result in up to five years in prison for Storm following his conspiracy conviction. The outcome of this process will define the limits of legal responsibility for privacy infrastructure programmers and mark a turning point in the relationship between open-source development and global financial laws.
Source: https://x.com/VitalikButerin/status/2009518473173512379
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