US lawmakers introduce bill to protect blockchain developers from criminal charges

US Republican lawmakers Fitzgerald and Cline, together with Democratic lawmaker Lofgren, have jointly introduced the "Blockchain Development and Innovation Promotion Act of 2026," which clarifies that Section 1960 of the Criminal Code applies only to entities that control customer funds and does not apply to developers who write code. Previously, in cases such as TornadoCash and SamouraiWallet, this provision had been used against non-custodial software developers, sparking backlash within the crypto industry. The bill aims to provide legal protection for blockchain developers.