The Solana Policy Institute (SPI) has pledged $500,000 to the legal defense of Tornado Cash developers Roman Storm and Alexey Pertsev, according to an Aug. 28 statement.

Storm and Pertsev helped create Tornado Cash, an Ethereum-based privacy protocol that allows crypto transactions to be mixed and anonymized. After deployment, the developers relinquished control of the smart contracts, leaving the system to run without centralized oversight.

Developers held liable

Courts in the Netherlands and the US have held the developers liable for malicious actors’ use of the platform for their illicit activities.

Pertsev was convicted of money laundering in 2024, while Storm was found guilty earlier this month of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business.

These convictions have elicited strong responses from the crypto community, which argues that the Tornado Cash developers’ conviction misinterprets how blockchain protocols function.

Industry experts argue that developers cannot monitor or restrict usage of their protocols once the open-source code is published and immutable.

Notably, the SPI echoed this view, warning that holding coders responsible for third-party activity establishes a precedent that threatens innovation across the entire software industry.

Kristin Smith, the President of the Solana Policy Institute, said:

“Privacy is normal. Code is speech. And at Solana Institute, we’ll continue to defend the rights of software developers everywhere.”

Solana welcomes ‘Tornado Cash-like’ protocol

The SPI donation comes as Solana welcomes the launch of a Tornado Cash–style platform on its network.

On Aug. 27, Privacy Cash went live on the network, offering users a way to transfer digital assets into new wallets without linking prior addresses or transaction histories.

Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius Labs, said the tool’s design mirrors Tornado Cash’s but benefits from Solana’s performance and integrated block explorers.

According to him, combining the protocol with Solana’s infrastructure—and even bridging to privacy-focused assets like Zcash—gives users a pathway to near-total anonymity.

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New Show Release – “Bitcoin Policy Hour”

April 9, 2025 – Nashville, Tennessee – Bitcoin Magazinein collaboration with the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), Bitcoin Policy Houra timely, keen series focusing on political and economics, macroeconomic policy, and the evolving global financial order.

Each week’s show features the BPI Executive Director Matthew PinesPolicy Director Zach Shapiroand growth associates Zach Cohen. Decades of experience in national security, regulatory issues and economic research brings the trio a fresh and rigorous perspective to Bitcoin’s role in shaping the future of finance.

“Bitcoin Policy Hour” It aims to provide viewers with a rich, positive discussion that is both noise-breaking and has a rich context. Each episode dives deep into the major developments of geopolitics, economic policy, trade, inflation and sovereignty debt. These forces explain how these forces reshape the financial landscape and what it means for Bitcoin.

The premiere episode of the title “Wargaming for Mar-a-Lago Accord: Customs, Bitcoin, Stubcoin”explores the strategic implications of US-China trade tensions, new risks (and tailwinds) to the dollar system, and the potential restructuring of global capital flows. Viewers are filmed within the framework of a scenario planning that considers how tariffs, national debt, and financial experiments promote interest in non-Sorber’s financial alternatives.

This new collaboration highlights the shared mission of Bitcoin Magazine and BPI, raising public understanding of monetary policy and fostering informed discussions about the future of money.

Episode of Bitcoin Policy Hour Broadcast weekly on Bitcoin Magazine’s media platforms such as YouTube, X, Rumble, and Bitcoinmagazine.com, it offers essential briefings for investors, policymakers and those who track the changing tides of the global economy.

Austin University (UATX) is working to host Satoshi Papers Symposium in partnership with the Texas Bitcoin Foundation, Bitcoin Policy Institute and Unchained

press release

Austin University (UATX) is working hard at the Texas Bitcoin Foundation (TBF), Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), Unchained and Asset Management to host Satoshi Papers Symposium, an academic conference celebrating the launch of TBF’s first book. Satoshi’s paper: Reflection on the post-Bitcoin political economy.

Sato’s Essaypublished by BPI and edited by TBF Executive Director and fellow BPI Natalie Smolensky, takes inspiration from 18th-century American debates between federalists and anti-federalists about the role of government in protecting individual and community freedom. The book features open exchange of ideas among scholars about the relationship between money and nation in the post-Bitcoin world.

“Sato’s Essay Natalie Smolensky, founder and executive director of the Texas Bitcoin Foundation, said:

Bitcoin Policy Institute, a DC-based policy think tank, will be releasing the book’s publication imprint Sato’s Essay.

“Starting a Publication Imprint is a natural next step for BPI as we continue to advance the Bitcoin Policy Intellectual Foundation. Sato’s Essay “We’re looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said Grant McCarty, co-founder of BPI.

Atsoshi Papers Symposium, which will be held at the UATX campus on April 16, 2025, features presentations by the authors of the atsoshi Papers Symposium. Sato’s Essay He is also a BPI fellow, including Avik Roy, Josh Hendrickson, Craig Warmke and Natalie Smolenski. Faculty at Austin University discuss the discussions the authors have in their books.

“Austin University is committed to a fearless pursuit and rigorous debate of truth about ideas that shape our world,” says Chad Tebnott, Austin University’s SVP of Progress and Communications. “Satoshi Papers Symposium is a perfect example of its commitment, bringing together scholars and students to explore the economic and political implications of Bitcoin. We are honored that UATX will be the platform for convening for this important conversation.”

The symposium independently encourages student participation. Thanks to generous donations from Strive Asset Management, a financial services company co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy, all students in UATX’s first class will receive copies of Sato’s Essay An invitation to participate in discussions during the symposium.

Matt Cole, CEO of Strive, said: In light of the inevitable volatility that characterizes the early lives of rapidly monetizing new assets, deep education is essential for investors to build and maintain convictions in their allocations. Sato’s Essay It is an important contribution to Bitcoin education and we are honored to partner with holding the symposium. ”

The symposium is generously supported by Unchained, Bitcoin’s Austin native financial services company.

“We’re looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said Joe Kelly, Unchained co-founder and CEO and director of Texas Bitcoin Foundation. Sato’s Essay It challenges you to think critically about economic sovereignty. By allowing individuals to control their own Bitcoin, we ignore it and create something real. We are proud to support this symposium and the broader efforts to ensure economic freedom for future generations. ”

Unchained will hold public receptions, book sales and signatures Sato’s Essay At Bitcoin Commons on the evening of April 16th.

About Austin University

Austin University (UATX) is a new private, nonprofit, nonprofit university in Austin, Texas, dedicated to fearless pursuit of truth. Its innovative faculty curriculum combines rich inheritances from the past with the most persuasive ideas and initiatives of the present. Each student will undertake a four-year Polaris project to build, create and discover something that will serve humanity. Austin University’s first freshman class began its journey in the fall of 2024. Find out more at uaustin.org.

About the Texas Bitcoin Foundation

The Texas Bitcoin Foundation (TBF) is a public charity dedicated to research and education on Bitcoin and the political and economics. Founded in 2021 by Natalie Smolensky, the foundation brings together academics in disciplines around the world to explore the social and political influence of decentralized digital technologies. For more information, please visit txbitcoinfoundation.org.

About Bitcoin Policy Research Institute

The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank located in Washington, DC. It is dedicated to educating policymakers and the public about Bitcoin and disruptive digital technologies, providing research-based insights to inform US sound policies. For more information, please visit btcpolicy.org.

About Unchained

UNChained is the most trusted name in Premium Bitcoin Financial Services, protecting over 100,000 BTC through a joint custody model that combines institutional-grade security with white glove services for the wealthy, families and businesses. Find out more at Unchained.com.

About efforts

Co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy in 2022, Strive is a financial services company with a mission to maximize the value of its clients through incompatible capitalism. The company has grown rapidly to manage its $1.7 billion assets since the launch of its first fund in August 2022, and is directly competing with the world’s largest financial institutions by strengthening Americans’ sole focus on maximizing shareholder value. With an effort, he recently launched the Wealth Management Business Unit to provide true financial freedom, including a coordinated integration of Bitcoin into the everyday American portfolio. For more information, please visit strive.com.