ZKSNACKS Bans Customers from the US Due to “Regulation Concerns”
Due to regulatory concerns, zkSNACKs has made the decision to restrict access for United States customers to its platform.
Samourai Wallet Crackdown Possibly Triggered zkSNACKs
zkSNACKs, the company behind the privacy-boosting Bitcoin wallet Wasabi Wallet, has recently started blocking residents and citizens of the U.S. from accessing its platforms.
This group will no longer be able to visit zkSNACKs website to download and use Wasabi Wallet and any related products and services, including APIs and RPC interfaces. To enforce this restriction, an IP address firewall has been implemented.
The reason behind this policy change and restriction has not been explicitly disclosed, but it is believed to be linked to the arrest of two of Samourai’s founders.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged Samourai Wallet founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill with laundering $100 million through their crypto mixing service, leading to potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
Samourai Wallet is known for providing enhanced privacy for cryptocurrency transactions, but regulators suspect it was being used for money laundering activities. Approximately 80,000 BTC has passed through their services, accumulating fees of around $4.5 million.
More Crypto Projects Face Legal Challenges
Similarly, the founders of popular cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash have also been arrested on charges related to the illegal operation of their platform. They have requested the dismissal of charges against them.
The DOJ responded to their request by stating that they must face the allegations due to their active involvement in maintaining the platform. Regulatory actions against crypto projects are becoming more frequent.
The decision of zkSNACKs to block U.S. customers may be a preemptive measure to protect themselves from potential legal issues in the future.
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