Vitalik Buterin supports Tornado Cash and defends privacy on Ethereum

• • Vitalik Buterin reinforces support for Tornado Cash
  • Privacy is security, says Ethereum co-founder
  • Community raises $750 for Roman Storm

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin publicly endorsed Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm on July 5, 2025. The statement reinforces Buterin’s position that privacy is not only desirable but essential to security within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The statement comes as Storm faces trial in the United States over his involvement in the transaction mixing protocol.

Buterin argued that increasing privacy “should not be seen as a ‘trade-off’ between privacy and security.” For him, tools that ensure confidentiality in transactions are part of the security infrastructure of blockchain networks. Tornado Cash, the target of sanctions and investigations, remains at the center of the regulatory debate surrounding decentralized privacy tools.

In addition to his public statements, Buterin has also offered financial support for Storm’s defense. The Ethereum Foundation community and other supporters have raised more than $750 for the legal funding campaign. The outpouring reflects an organized advocacy effort by Web3 developers and enthusiasts who see risks to innovation if the development of privacy tools is criminalized.

Buterin highlighted that applications like Signal, used by governments and companies, show that privacy protection is already common practice in sensitive sectors. He argues that payments, digital identities and the use of artificial intelligence also need to incorporate these guarantees without creating “backdoors”.

At the same time, Ethereum (ETH) remains relevant in the market even in the face of regulatory pressures. In recent weeks, the asset has shown significant appreciation in 60 days, with investors closely following developments involving central figures such as Buterin and protocols focused on anonymity.

The mobilization around Tornado Cash also reignited discussions about the scope of regulation, especially after FinCEN guidelines in 2019, which exempted anonymity software developers from the obligations applied to money transmitters.