Greater than 65 organizations throughout the U.S. crypto sector have urged President Donald Trump to intervene within the prosecution of Twister Money developer Roman Storm, arguing that the case represents a broader risk to software program improvement and the nation’s standing in digital finance.
The joint letter, despatched on November 20 and signed by main trade associations, DeFi builders, traders, and analysis teams, calls on federal companies to ship instant regulatory and tax readability whereas ending what the group describes as “regulation by prosecution.”
Builders Say Open-Supply Code Is Not a Crime as They Push DOJ to Finish Storm Case
The attraction marks one of many largest coordinated coverage pushes from the crypto trade since Trump returned to the White Home.
The letter credit the administration for a sequence of actions over the previous 12 months, together with the nullification of the IRS dealer rule, passage of the GENIUS Act, and the reversal of earlier restrictions on using digital property in retirement plans.
1/ At present, 65+ crypto organizations, from main commerce associations to builders, traders, and advocates, spoke along with one voice: it's time for federal companies to behave.
Our letter to @POTUS outlines instant steps @SECGov, @CFTC, @USTreasury, and @TheJusticeDept can take.… pic.twitter.com/44zY97eeXe— Solana Coverage Institute (@SolanaInstitute) November 20, 2025
It argues that these steps have opened the door for brand spanking new financial exercise, however says a number of unresolved points proceed to push builders and companies abroad.
A central request within the letter is that the Division of Justice dismiss the remaining prices towards Roman Storm.
Storm was convicted in August 2025 on one depend of conspiracy to function an unlicensed cash transmitting enterprise. The conviction carries a most sentence of 5 years.
The jury didn’t attain a verdict on two extra severe allegations involving cash laundering and sanctions violations, leading to a partial mistrial.
Prosecutors haven’t but confirmed whether or not they are going to retry him on these counts. Storm stays free on bail whereas post-trial motions and a attainable attraction transfer ahead.
The signatories argue that Storm’s work on Twister Money represents the writing of open-source software program quite than the operation of a cash service.
They level to latest Division of Justice steerage issued earlier this 12 months, which said that prosecutors shouldn’t convey unlicensed cash transmitting prices towards builders of decentralized software program.
Whereas that coverage doesn’t apply retroactively, Storm’s legal professionals are anticipated to reference it as a part of their ongoing authorized problem.
Advocacy Teams Urge Trump to Prioritize Developer Protections and Modernize Crypto Coverage
Stress from crypto advocacy teams has intensified in latest months. In April, the DeFi Training Fund despatched a letter to White Home crypto adviser David Sacks calling the Roman Storm case a “lawless prosecution” and warning it may deter builders from constructing permissionless instruments.
The DeFi Training Fund (@fund_defi) has proposed DeFi options to handle international poverty, reporting the tech may save customers $30 billion a 12 months by decreasing remittance charges. #DeFi #PovertyAlleviationhttps://t.co/tk1VdQ2RcC
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) November 19, 2025
That message gained help from trade figures together with Fred Ehrsam, Matt Huang, and Tim Beiko, who argued that earlier FinCEN steerage said noncustodial software program builders shouldn’t be labeled as cash transmitters, putting the present case at odds with established coverage.
Storm’s authorized course of remains to be energetic. An August court docket submitting set deadlines for post-trial motions by November, whereas prosecutors stated they are going to later resolve whether or not to retry him on unresolved counts.
In line with the Free Roman Storm marketing campaign, supporters have raised $5.3 million of a $7 million objective to fund his protection.
The joint trade letter to President Trump extends past Storm’s scenario.
It urges the Treasury and IRS to difficulty long-delayed tax steerage on staking rewards, mining rewards, cross-chain transfers, airdrops, forks, and rebases, areas the teams say have suffered from uncertainty and pushed exercise offshore.
The signatories additionally request affirmation that utilizing crypto as collateral for loans will not be taxable and that digital asset donations ought to obtain the identical remedy as inventory donations.
They additional name on the SEC and CFTC to offer interim guidelines that shield open-source, permissionless improvement whereas broader regulatory frameworks stay unfinished.
Up to date FinCEN steerage reaffirming that noncustodial blockchain software program falls outdoors the Financial institution Secrecy Act can also be a key demand.
The letter arrives throughout a interval of elevated govt concentrate on digital property. Trump has already issued pardons to a number of distinguished figures within the sector this 12 months, together with Ross Ulbricht, Changpeng Zhao, and Arthur Hayes.
The administration has additionally framed digital asset development as a precedence for U.S. financial competitiveness and has pushed companies to undertake a coordinated framework for crypto oversight.
The submit Trump Urged to Drop Roman Storm Prices by 65+ Crypto Teams appeared first on Cryptonews.