US regulator may lift ban on cryptocurrency mixers

For the first time, the US Treasury Department has officially recognized that cryptomixers can be used legally to ensure financial privacy in public blockchains. This is stated in a report to Congress released in early March as part of the implementation of the GENIUS Act.

The document states that cryptocurrency users are not prohibited from using services that mix transactions of different participants, making it difficult to trace the origin of funds in networks such as Bitcoin BTC $72,904.89 Mezo Wrapped BTC 2.36% Market capitalization $40.6 million VOL. 24 hours $1.57 billion or Ethereum ETH $2,270.11 Bridged Ether (StarkGate) 7.08% Market capitalization $45.77 million VOL. 24 hours $1.37 billion . Such tools can be used to protect commercial information, conceal asset structure, or anonymous donations. «Legitimate users of digital assets can use mixers to ensure financial privacy,» the report says.

This wording looks like a change in approach after several years of crackdowns on crypto mixers. In 2022, OFAC imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash, accusing it of laundering more than $ 7 billion. However, in 2024, a federal appeals court ruled that Tornado Cash smart contracts could not be considered property or an organization, and in 2025, the Treasury Department effectively lifted sanctions against the protocol.

At the same time, the report emphasizes that cryptomixers remain one of the key tools for money laundering after hacks of crypto exchanges and DeFi protocols. According to analysts, North Korean hackers alone have laundered hundreds of millions of dollars through such services. Therefore, it is proposed to expand the powers of regulators to track suspicious transactions and temporarily freeze digital assets.