US Senators raise grave concerns over DOJ's policies towards cryptocurrency asset providers

Source Fxstreet
  • Senators Ron Wyden and Cynthia Lummis wrote to the Attorney General to express worries over new policies on money transmission. 
  • The DOJ has continued to take strict measures against crypto asset software services over the last few months, says Senators.
  • Senators urge the Attorney General to "discard" the new interpretation of money transmission released by the DOJ.

Senators Ron Wyden and Cynthia Lummis wrote to the Attorney General on May 9, expressing concerns over the Department of Justice's (DOJ) policies toward crypto asset providers. The Senators claim that the DOJ has been enforcing strict measures against crypto asset software services over the past few months.

Read more: Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm’s motion to dismiss accusations rebuffed by US DOJ

Senators criticize the DOJ's move against crypto services

In an X post on Monday, Senator Cynthia Lummis blasted the DOJ under President Joe Biden, claiming they wrongly interpreted the federal policy against unlicensed money-transmitting businesses.

She also disclosed the bipartisan letter she wrote with Senator Ron Wyden to the Attorney General's office expressing concern over the DOJ's recent expansion of the definition of money transmission.

The letter detailed the federal money-transmitting business statutes laid out by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and how the DOJ's recent actions expanded their scope. "This interpretation threatens to criminalize Americans offering non-custodial crypto asset software services," said the Senators.

Also read: US intensifies battle against crypto privacy protocols following crackdown on Samourai Wallet

This follows the DOJ's actions against crypto mixers Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash. The Department of Justice accused both crypto service providers of running unlicensed money-transmitting businesses. For such accusations, the Senators refer back to money-transmitting business statutes and what it claims to be criminal acts of money transmitting, which does not apply in this case.

The DOJ arrested and charged the founders of Samourai Wallet in April after charging Tornado Cash founders last year, accusing them of operating unlicensed money-transmitting businesses. The DOJ claimed that the two crypto mixers were involved in over $2 billion of unlawful transactions, with about $100 million of the funds being laundered money.

Read more: US House Committee set to address regulatory issues over digital assets through review of FIT21 Act

Senators Ron Wyden and Cynthia Lummis urge the Attorney General to "discard" the new interpretation of money transmission released by the DOJ, as it continues to affect the safety of crypto asset software service providers. They also challenge the DOJ to begin presenting a clear and logically sound interpretation of money transmission as written out by the FinCEN.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Dollar holds above 100 near a 3-month high — three Fed speakers and a $69 billion auction land tonightThe dollar index closed at 100.43 on Monday, its highest close since late July, after a weekly gain of about 1% — the best in more than three months — and is holding above the 100.00 handle in Asia. Three Fed officials speak tonight alongside a $69 billion two-year note auction, the first leg of $183 billion of Treasury supply this week.
Author  Suzie
Sep 22, Tue
The dollar index closed at 100.43 on Monday, its highest close since late July, after a weekly gain of about 1% — the best in more than three months — and is holding above the 100.00 handle in Asia. Three Fed officials speak tonight alongside a $69 billion two-year note auction, the first leg of $183 billion of Treasury supply this week.
placeholder
October hike odds climb toward 60% as Goldman and BofA both flip — what Warsh's "dose of accommodation" really changedRate futures now price roughly 55% to 62% for a 25bp hike at the October 27-28 FOMC, up from about 30% before Chair Warsh's post-meeting framing that the Fed is merely "removing some accommodation." Goldman Sachs has added an October hike to its forecast and Bank of America now sees moves in both October and December. Here is the repricing, the language behind it, and the two data points that decide it.
Author  Irene Q.
Sep 23, Wed
Rate futures now price roughly 55% to 62% for a 25bp hike at the October 27-28 FOMC, up from about 30% before Chair Warsh's post-meeting framing that the Fed is merely "removing some accommodation." Goldman Sachs has added an October hike to its forecast and Bank of America now sees moves in both October and December. Here is the repricing, the language behind it, and the two data points that decide it.
placeholder
Memory chips surge, Nasdaq notches a second straight record close — why the Dow fell 185 points anywayMicron gained 5%, SanDisk 6.8%, Seagate 4% and Western Digital 3% as the memory complex led the Nasdaq Composite to a second consecutive record close of 27,244.28. But the Dow fell 185 points as JPMorgan, Wells Fargo and Schwab slid more than 3% each — a split tape that says more about positioning than about the economy.
Author  Irene Q.
Sep 23, Wed
Micron gained 5%, SanDisk 6.8%, Seagate 4% and Western Digital 3% as the memory complex led the Nasdaq Composite to a second consecutive record close of 27,244.28. But the Dow fell 185 points as JPMorgan, Wells Fargo and Schwab slid more than 3% each — a split tape that says more about positioning than about the economy.
placeholder
US input costs rose at the fastest pace in four years — the September flash PMI beat is an inflation story, not a growth storyUS September flash PMIs came in far above expectations, with the composite at 58.4, a five-year high. But the detail that moved markets was input cost inflation at its fastest since October 2022, driven by fuel, transport and supply shortages. Brent is back above $100 and the 10-year Treasury yield has hit its highest since 2007.
Author  Suzie
Sep 24, Thu
US September flash PMIs came in far above expectations, with the composite at 58.4, a five-year high. But the detail that moved markets was input cost inflation at its fastest since October 2022, driven by fuel, transport and supply shortages. Brent is back above $100 and the 10-year Treasury yield has hit its highest since 2007.
placeholder
Gold Price Forecast: Gold Drops Below $4,300, Will It Continue to Fall? As of the European session on September 24, gold prices (XAUUSD) extended their correction, dipping below $4,300 intraday to hit a low of $4,262.45. After previously rebounding close to $
Author  TradingKey
Sep 24, Thu
As of the European session on September 24, gold prices (XAUUSD) extended their correction, dipping below $4,300 intraday to hit a low of $4,262.45. After previously rebounding close to $
goTop
quote