The U.S. Department of the Treasury has announced the removal of economic sanctions against Tornado Cash, as stated in their recent filing in the case Van Loon v. Department of the Treasury. This decision follows a review by the Administration regarding financial sanctions within evolving technological and legal contexts.
Despite this action, concerns remain over state-sponsored hacking and money laundering activities that target digital assets for use by North Korea's Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and its leadership. The Treasury emphasizes its commitment to using its powers to disrupt criminal exploitation of digital assets and will continue enforcing sanctions aimed at limiting DPRK's funding for weapons programs.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented on the situation: “Digital assets present enormous opportunities for innovation and value creation for the American people.” He added that protecting the digital asset industry from misuse by North Korea and other illicit actors is crucial for maintaining U.S. leadership in financial innovation.
The Treasury will keep monitoring transactions potentially benefiting malicious cyber actors or DPRK, urging U.S. persons to be cautious when engaging in risky transactions.
