According to Coin Center, a fresh version of the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act is on the table and could redraw the lines between crypto, software work and criminal liability.
The bill aims to say, in plain terms, that people who write code or run infrastructure but do not control other people’s crypto funds shouldn’t be treated as money transmitters.
Who Gets Legal Cover
Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden offered the updated language after the original measure was introduced by Tom Emmer in the House years ago.
Based on reports, the change is meant to draw a clearer line in federal law between creating tools and moving money. Supporters say that without clear rules, simple acts of coding could be treated like operating a bank.
Opponents worry about loopholes. Debates have already split lawmakers and tech teams in Washington.
— Coin Center (@coincenter) February 17, 2026
High-Profile Convictions And Risk
Reports note several recent prosecutions that helped push this debate into view. The developer linked to Tornado Cash faces charges tied to money transmission. Two men tied to Samourai Wallet were also convicted on similar counts.
Roman Storm is awaiting sentencing. Keonne Rodriguez and Will Lonergan Hill received multi-year terms. These cases are short, sharp reminders that tools used by others can end up at the center of criminal probes.
That fact has pushed more than one developer to ask whether the US remains the easiest place to build.
What Could Change If Protections Weaken
According to Coin Center policy chief Jason Somensatto, diluting the bill would leave creators guessing where liability begins and ends.
In a letter to to the Senate Banking Committee, he argues that software authors deserve the same basic protections as other internet builders — hosting firms, browser teams, and email providers — who are not jailed when a bad actor misuses their products.
Image: Coin Center
The argument is framed around certainty: clear rules, advocates say, let people decide to stay and invest here rather than move projects offshore.
A Decision With Tradeoffs
Reports say the Senate Banking Committee has not yet marked up the bill. Lawmakers must weigh public-safety concerns against the goal of keeping promising technical work in the US.
Some legal experts want narrower safe harbors. Others want stronger guardrails so that criminal abuse can still be prosecuted.
Whichever path the committee picks will shape where developers choose to work, and how people build the next wave of crypto tools.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
