Preston Van Loon, an Ethereum core developer, joins The Defiant Podcast this week to discuss his role as a plaintiff in the high-profile Tornado Cash lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He described how the sanctions imposed on Tornado Cash impacted legitimate users seeking privacy on Ethereum and underscored the significance of a recent appellate court ruling questioning whether smart contracts qualify as “property” under U.S. sanctions law. Van Loon also noted the possibility of a friendlier regulatory environment in the United States, suggesting that changing policy stances could spur crypto innovation. Finally, he addressed ongoing discussions within the Ethereum community about development priorities, governance structures, and the challenges of maintaining a decentralized protocol as the ecosystem grows.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Background

01:15 - What is Tornado Cash?

04:00 - Why Tornado Cash Was Sanctioned

06:45 - Filing the Lawsuit

09:50 - Court Ruling and Implications

14:00 - Next Steps in the Legal Case

18:00 - Privacy Rights and Crypto

24:00 - Impact on Builders and Industry

34:00 - Ethereum's Role and Future Challenges

50:00 - Community Feedback and Leadership

55:00 - Closing Remarks

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