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The Samourai wallet allegations raise existential questions for privacy technology

BlockChainGuardian Staff

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The Samourai wallet allegations raise existential questions for privacy technology

The US government has put to rest any doubts that any involvement in or profit from privacy tools beyond the creation of code for crypto mixers is prohibited.

Call it an assault on privacy or an attack on free speech, but the reality is that any money that flows into an application designed to shuffle funds to protect users’ addresses is treated as laundered funds, regardless of purpose or destination.

Bitcoin fog. Tornado Cash. Now Samourai wallet.

Samourai Wallet was (its servers were seized) a bitcoin wallet that promised to “keep your transactions private and your identity masked” through a privacy-preserving service called “Whirlpool.”

Authorities say the wallet processed more than $2 billion in illegal transactions, including at least $100 million through illegal dark web marketplaces such as Silk Road and Hydra Market. Similar arguments were made regarding Tornado Cash when it was sanctioned by the US Treasury, which essentially deemed every dollar that flowed through it as criminal in nature.

“Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to relentlessly pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that use cryptocurrency to conceal illicit behavior,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement Wednesday.

There’s a lot to be said about Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez, 35, and William Lonergan Hill, 65, about op-sec (i.e. “operational security), or apparent lack thereof. Rodriguez was arrested in Pennsylvania and will be arraigned this week, while the United States is still working to extradite Hill from Portugal.

“I don’t know how they thought they wouldn’t be arrested and prosecuted for this. It appears that the Department of Justice has direct evidence that they said they knew they were helping people hide illegal transactions and charge for the service,” University of Kentucky law professor Brian Frye told CoinDesk in an interview .

The Department of Justice alleges that Rodriguez and Hill actively solicited criminal clients in their marketing and social media posts. Hill, for example, reportedly said: “At Samourai we are entirely focused on censorship resistance and the black/grey circular economy. This does not imply any foreseeable mass adoption,” in an intercepted internal message.

“Ultimately, if you knowingly facilitate illicit finance and profit from it, as you allege in the complaint, the outlook is bleak,” venture capitalist Nic Carter said in a direct message. “However, it is disturbing the extent to which the Biden administration[istration] is trying to criminalize privacy.”

The Biden administration appears to have stepped up efforts to eliminate mixing services. This includes the arrest of Roman Sterlingov, a Russian-Swedish citizen and operator of Bitcoin Fog in April 2021 and participation in the arrest of Tornado Cash cofounders in 2023. However, cryptocurrency mixers have long been in the crosshairs of prosecutors. In Sterlingov’s case, investigators worked to establish evidence over a period of years.

Already in the distant past May 2019The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has become concerned about cryptocurrency “tumblers,” finding that “people who accept and transmit value in a manner apparently designed to protect the privacy of those transmitting value [sic] are providers of secure money transmission services and are not entitled to full exemption.”

In other words, mixers are money transmitters, although a person generally only transfers funds between them two addresses that control anonymize their funds. And if you are considered a money transmitter, FinCEN noted, you are required to comply with the regulations Banking secrecy law.

“My view is that the cryptocurrency industry should view regulation as ‘force majeure’ and adapt to it,” Tal Be’ery, co-founder and chief technology officer of ZenGo wallet, he said. [Force majeure is a common legal clause absolving parties from liability.] “The US government has made it very clear that the use of a mixer is unacceptable with the prosecution of Tornado Cash operators and therefore it was foreseeable that other mixers would be attacked.”

Others fear that it is not just mixed services that are being targeted, but all privacy-preserving blockchain technology.

“From the cases against Tornado Cash to the The IRS “Broker Rule.” upon the arrest of the founders of Samourai Wallet, it is clear that the US government is moving aggressively against privacy tools in cryptocurrencies,” Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy Digital, told CoinDesk.

It’s worth noting that while Rodriguez and Hill have remained active in overseeing the protocol since its launch over a decade ago, the Samourai wallet was non-custodial and open source. The code was “self-hosted” on the company’s open source GitLab repository, even though the link provided appears to no longer work. The Samourai apps have also been removed from the Google and Apple app stores, even though the software can theoretically be created, run and hosted by anyone.

Some experts contacted by CoinDesk, including Frye, believe that crypto mixers theoretically could be legal to code, but probably not to market or maintain. The software release is generally protected by the First Amendment in the United States, because code is a language and language is a speech.

“While crypto mixers might in theory be legal, if used only to protect the privacy of legal transactions, using them to hide illegal transactions is downright illegal,” Frye said.

“It’s clear that if developers maintain any involvement in privacy tools beyond creating code – whether managing front-ends, facilitating any kind of money movement, or accepting commissions – they will be targeted. For on-chain privacy to succeed in the future, the tools must be fully decentralized,” Thorn echoed.

Others, like TradeLayer founder Patrick Dugan, have noted that it also matters whether the authors of the crypto mixer code profit from their inventions. According to the indictment, Samourai earned at least $4.5 million in commissions from his wallet and mixer services.

“The case will ultimately come down to any revenue mechanism used by the developers that might constitute an operating enterprise in the eyes of prosecutors, making them guilty of money laundering by proxy,” Dugan said, mentioning that, unlike Tornado Cash, Samourai didn’t have a token.

Despite the realpolitik of the situation, many in the crypto community see the targeting of crypto mixers as a violation of the fundamental human right to privacy.

“The government’s seizure of Samurai and the arrest of the people who run it is worrying. It seems more like what an authoritarian regime would do rather than a free country. I think people have a fundamental right to privacy in their financial transactions, whether digital or physical,” said the crypto investigator Eye CoinDesk said in an interview.

“I’m a big believer in privacy services, so I have no moral concerns about what’s happening,” said a Bitcoin Lightning developer, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss the situation more candidly. “But it seems a bit silly of them. If I understand the situation correctly, these are two American citizens who didn’t even do a great job of covering their tracks. So an arrest is not at all surprising.”

Others have noted that despite the increased heat on privacy services, there will always be demand for these protocols – from legitimate users and criminals.

“Considering how easy it is to start up or use another mixer, this does not solve the problem of laundering illicit funds,” Ogle said. “It just moves them to another service.” Dugan noted that there are also privacy coins already in circulation for “those seeking pure exit via cryptocurrency privacy,” although “it’s not easy.” He added: “he uses monero, it’s been deleted almost everywhere, so you know it’s legit.”

Zooko WIlcox, founder of privacy coin Zcashtold CoinDesk: “It is legal to create privacy technology in the United States and we will continue to do so, because privacy and freedom are fundamental parts of American civilization.”

Additional reporting provided by Cheyenne Ligon and Nikhilesh De.

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We are the editorial team of BlockChainGuardian, where seriousness meets clarity in cryptocurrency analysis. With a robust team of finance and blockchain technology experts, we are dedicated to meticulously exploring complex crypto markets with detailed assessments and an unbiased approach. Our mission is to democratize access to knowledge of emerging financial technologies, ensuring they are understandable and accessible to all. In every article on BlockChainGuardian, we strive to provide content that not only educates, but also empowers our readers, facilitating their integration into the financial digital age.

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Hollywood.ai by FAME King Sheeraz Hasan Promulgates a Complete Ecosystem that Unites Web3, Cryptography, AI and Entertainment for Spectacular Global Tech Innovation

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Hollywood.ai by FAME King Sheeraz Hasan Promulgates a Complete Ecosystem that Unites Web3, Cryptography, AI and Entertainment for Spectacular Global Tech Innovation

The one and only FAME King Sheeraz Hasan is launching Hollywood.ai, a revolutionary platform designed to integrate the cutting-edge realms of Web3, cryptocurrency, AI, finance and entertainment. This revolutionary initiative is set to create a seamless, interactive and intuitive ecosystem where the world’s leading technology luminaries can collaborate on innovations, ultimately redefining the future of digital interaction.

Hollywood.ai represents the convergence of the most complex technologies of all time. Fusing Web3 principles, cryptocurrency utilities, AI advances, and financial machinery, Sheeraz’s platform aims to become the nucleus for innovation and modernization. It provides a high-tech environment where technology and creativity collide harmoniously, paving the way for new paths in the digital economy.

A defining feature of Hollywood.ai is the integration of cryptocurrency into the AI ​​ecosystem, transforming AI into a tokenized asset with full cryptographic utility. Sheeraz’s novel approach presents new avenues to leverage the myriad capabilities of AI in the financial realm, unlocking unprecedented opportunities for developers and users alike. Through the amalgamation of AI and cryptocurrency, Hollywood.ai is paving the way for an incredibly interconnected digital space unlike anything seen before.

The platform’s design emphasizes the undeniable symbiosis between various technology sectors. Under Sheeraz’s careful orchestration, Web3 technologies facilitate decentralized collaboration, while AI tools offer enhanced potential for data analytics, content creation, and audience engagement. Additionally, the inclusion of financial innovations ensures rapid mobility of both monetization and investments, providing a holistic environment that meets the ever-evolving demands of the technology and entertainment segments.

Sheeraz’s Hollywood.ai is poised to become the premier hub for industry leaders, developers, and creators to support and empower the next generation of digital experiences. This initiative aspires to drive the emergence of new tools, applications, and services that set new standards for advanced engagement and interaction.

Known for making the impossible possible, Sheeraz envisions a future where global audiences actively participate in designing the next A-list stars from scratch. Hollywood.ai will allow users to watch their creations evolve from simple concepts to 3D talents that can act, sing and perform just like human actors.

The Hollywood.ai platform leverages AI technology to deliver personalized fan engagement, real-time sentiment analysis, and informed content creation. By combining cutting-edge AI capabilities with Sheeraz’s deep understanding of celebrity branding, Hollywood.ai gains immense control over public figures.

Undeniably, FAME’s number one strategist Sheeraz Hasan continues to cement his reputation as a pioneer in the fields of FAME and technology. The power and influence of this latest development brings him closer to total world domination.

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Online Broker Futu Offers Cryptocurrency Trading in Hong Kong, With Nvidia and Alibaba Stock as Rewards

BlockChainGuardian Staff

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Online Broker Futu Offers Cryptocurrency Trading in Hong Kong, With Nvidia and Alibaba Stock as Rewards

Futu Securities International, Hong Kong’s largest online broker, has launched retail cryptocurrency trading in the city, offering shares of Alibaba Holding Group AND Nvidia as a reward in an attempt to attract investors. Futu has begun allowing Hong Kong residents to trade Bitcoin and ether, the world’s two largest cryptocurrencies, directly on the brokerage platform using Hong Kong or U.S. dollars, the company announced Thursday.

The online retail broker said last month that it had received an upgrade to its securities license from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), allowing Futu to offer virtual asset trading services to both professional and retail clients in the city.

Futu’s move comes as Hong Kong seeks to boost its attractiveness as a business hub for virtual assets, with the city government launching a series of new cryptocurrency policy initiatives over the past two years, including a mandatory licensing regime for cryptocurrency exchanges.

In addition to offering cryptocurrency trading on its flagship brokerage app, Futu is also seeking a cryptocurrency trading license for its new PantherTrade platform. That platform is among 11 in Hong Kong that are currently “deemed licensed” for cryptocurrency trading, an arrangement that allows them to operate in the city while they await full approval from the SFC.

Hong Kong’s progress in becoming a crypto hub has encountered various challenges, including exit of the major global platforms and relatively low trading activity for cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds offered on local stock exchanges.

Futu is now offering a series of incentives to potential investors, amid a cryptocurrency bull market that has seen the price of bitcoin rise 45 percent this year.

Hong Kong investors who open accounts in August and deposit HK$10,000 (US$1,280) over the next 60 days can receive HK$600 worth of bitcoin, a HK$400 supermarket voucher or a single Chinese stock. e-commerce giant Alibaba. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

By holding 80,000 U.S. dollars for the same period, users can get 1,000 Hong Kong dollars in bitcoin or a share of U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) chip maker Nvidia, whose shares have risen more than 140 percent this year.

A Futu representative said the brokerage firm will also waive cryptocurrency trading fees starting Thursday until further notice.

Futu is the first online brokerage in Hong Kong to allow retail investors to buy cryptocurrency directly on its platform. SFC rules require it to offer this service through a tie-up with a licensed cryptocurrency exchange. Futu is partnering with HashKey Exchange, one of only two licensed exchanges in Hong Kong, according to the representative.

Futu’s local rival Tiger Brokers also said in May that it had begun offering cryptocurrency trading services to professional investors on its platform following a license update. The SFC defines professional investors as those with more than HK$8 million in their investment portfolios or corporate entities with assets exceeding HK$40 million.

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Tech Crash: $2.6 Trillion Market Cap Vanishes as ‘Magnificent 7’ Prices Stumble

BlockChainGuardian Staff

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Tech Crash: $2.6 Trillion Market Cap Vanishes as ‘Magnificent 7’ Prices Stumble

A group of seven megacap tech stocks, often called the Magnificent 7, have lost more than $2.6 trillion in value over the past 20 days, or an average of $125 billion per day over the period. In total, these stocks have lost “three times the value of the entire Brazilian stock market.”

This according to the economic news agency Letter from Kobeissiwho noted on the microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter) that the Magnificent 7 batch “is worth as much as Nvidia’s entire current market cap in 20 days,” with Nvidia itself having lost $1 trillion from its high.

Source:Letter from Kobeissi on the X

The group, which includes Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta and Tesla, has undergone a significant correction: in the last 20 days Nvidia has lost 23% of its value, or about $800 billion, while Tesla has fallen 19%, losing $164 billion.

Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta all posted losses of between 9% and 15%, losing between $257 billion and $554 billion in market capitalization, wiping out a total of $200 billion more “than every single German stock market tock combined.”

Tech titans, which have outperformed the broader S&P 500 index since the market bottom of 2022, are now facing a reckoning as investors grow increasingly wary about the sustainability of their meteoric rise, with Nvidia taking the lead soaring 110% since the beginning of the year and over 2,300% in the last five years.

Earnings reports from these companies, starting with Microsoft and culminating with Nvidia in late August, will be closely watched for signs of weakness. Their performance could set the tone for broader market sentiment, with implications for everything from cryptocurrency to other high-risk assets.

Their poor performance comes after a leading macroeconomist, Henrik Zeberg, reiterated his forecast of an impending recession that will be preceded by a final wave in key sectors of the market, but which can potentially be the worst the market has seen since 1929the worst bear market in Wall Street history.

In particular, the Hindenburg Omen, a technical indicator designed to identify potential stock market crashes, began flashing just a month after its previous signal, raising concerns about a possible impending stock market downturn.

The indicator compares the percentage of stocks hitting new 52-week highs and lows to a specific threshold. When the number of stocks hitting both extremes exceeds a certain level, the indicator is said to be triggered, suggesting a greater risk of a crash.

Featured Image via Disinfect.

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Trump Fights for Cryptocurrency Vote at Bitcoin Conference

BlockChainGuardian Staff

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A large conference hall filled with enthusiastic attendees, Bitcoin logos prominently displayed, and a podium with an American flag

To the Bitcoin Conference 2024 In Nashville, Tennessee, former President Donald Trump delivered a keynote speech.

Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, used the platform to appeal to the tech community and solicit donations for the campaign. During the conference, He said:

I promise the Bitcoin community that the day I take the oath of office, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ anti-crypto crusade will be over… If we don’t embrace cryptocurrency and Bitcoin technology, China will, other countries will. They will dominate, and we can’t let China dominate. They are making too much progress as it is.

Trump’s speech focused heavily on cryptocurrency policy, positioning it as a partisan issue. He said that if reelected, he would fire SEC Chairman Gary Gensler on his first day in office, a statement that drew enthusiastic applause from the audience. This statement marked a stark contrast to Gensler’s tenure, which has been characterized by rigorous oversight of the cryptocurrency industry.

The former president outlined several pro-crypto initiatives he would undertake if elected. These include transforming the United States into a global cryptocurrency hub, keeping all government-held Bitcoin as a “national Bitcoin reserve,” establishing a presidential advisory council on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, and developing power plants to support cryptocurrency mining, emphasizing the use of fossil fuels.

Trump’s current embrace of cryptocurrencies represents a reversal from his stance in 2021, when described Bitcoin as a “scam against the dollar.” He also noted that his campaign has received $25 million in donations since accepting cryptocurrency payments two months ago.

The event featured other political figures, including Republican Senators Tim Scott and Tommy Tuberville, as well as Democratic Representatives Wiley Nickel and Ro Khanna. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also spoke at the conference.

Trump’s appearance at Bitcoin 2024 reflects growing support for his campaign from some tech leaders, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.

While Trump has described the current administration as “anti-crypto,” Democratic Congressman Wiley Nickel said Vice President Kamala Harris is taking a “forward-thinking approach to digital assets and blockchain technology.”

This event underscores the growing political importance of cryptocurrency policy in the upcoming presidential election.

Kamala Harris and Democrats Respond on Cryptocurrencies

In a strategic move to repair strained relations, Vice President Kamala Harris’ team has initiated a dialogue with major cryptocurrency industry players. This outreach aims to restore the Democratic Party’s stance on digital assets and promote a more collaborative approach.

THE Financial Times reports that Harris’s advisors have reached out to representatives from industry leaders like Coinbase, Circle, and Ripple Labs. This move comes as the cryptocurrency community increasingly supports Republican candidate Donald Trump, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with the current administration’s cryptocurrency policies.

THE disclosure follows a letter from Democratic lawmakers and 2024 candidates urging the party to reevaluate its approach to digital assets. Harris’s team stresses that this effort is less about securing campaign contributions and more about engaging in constructive dialogue to develop sensible regulations.

The move is part of a broader strategy to reshape the Democratic Party’s image among business leaders, countering perceptions of an anti-business stance. Harris’ campaign aims to project a “pro-business, responsible business” message.

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