Coin Center Presses Senate for Developer Safe Harbor
Crypto advocacy group Coin Center has sent a formal letter to the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, urging it to advance the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA). The proposed legislation, introduced in a new version last month by Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden, seeks to provide a legal safe harbor for software developers and infrastructure providers who do not have control over user funds. In the letter, Coin Center Policy Director Jason Somensatto argued that blockchain innovation cannot thrive under the constant threat of prosecution. He drew a parallel to existing internet standards, stating that cloud hosting services and browser developers are not held liable when criminals misuse their tools.
The same principle must apply to blockchain developers.
— Jason Somensatto, Policy Director, Coin Center.
Legislation Seeks to Avert Repeat of 2025 Developer Convictions
The push for legal clarity follows several high-profile convictions in 2025 that alarmed the developer community. Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm and Samourai Wallet founders Keonne Rodriguez and Will Lonergan Hill were all convicted of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business. These cases created a precedent that the BRCA aims to directly address by distinguishing between building open-source tools and actively operating a financial service.
The act clarifies that individuals or entities that solely publish or distribute software are not money transmitters under federal law. According to Coin Center, failing to enact these protections would weaken the U.S. position in the digital asset space, creating legal uncertainty that could deter well-intentioned developers from operating in the country and push critical innovation offshore.
