Roman Storm Found Guilty in Landmark Unlicensed Money Transmitting Case—Crypto’s Regulatory Reckoning?

Crypto developer Roman Storm faces conviction for conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitter—a verdict that sends shockwaves through DeFi.

The Hammer Drops

A New York jury delivered a partial guilty verdict today, marking one of the highest-profile enforcements against crypto's 'wild west' ethos. Storm's case pivoted on whether his protocol's architecture constituted a money service business under federal law.

Code vs. Compliance

The prosecution's win underscores regulators' growing appetite to treat decentralized infrastructure like traditional finance—whether the tech stacks fit or not. 'Innovation isn't a free pass,' argued the DOJ during closing arguments.

Bankers 1, Anarchists 0

As Wall Street quietly cheers another notch in its regulatory capture belt, the ruling may force crypto builders to choose: kneel before the SEC or risk becoming the next cautionary tale. Funny how 'disruption' always seems to end with subpoenas.