Regulation
Crypto wallets leave the US under regulatory pressure
Wasabi Wallet and Phoenix have suspended their services for customers in the United States.
The companies behind these wallets, zkSNACKs and ACINQ, announced suspensions following actions taken by US authorities against similar cryptocurrency services.
zkSNACKs has already implemented measures to prevent US IP addresses from accessing its services, including the Wasabi wallet.
ACINQ plans to remove its Phoenix Wallet from US app stores by May 3.
These moves reflect the companies’ efforts to comply with potential regulations classifying personal custody wallets as money services businesses, which would impose strict regulatory requirements.
Regulatory pressure on cryptocurrency services has intensified following the arrest of two individuals linked to the Samourai wallet, accused of laundering money from illegal sources, including the Silk Road market.
The US government’s crackdown on Samourai Wallet resulted in the seizure of its web servers and domain, as well as the removal of the app from the Google Play Store in the US.
Keonne Rodriguez, co-founder of privacy-focused crypto wallet Samourai Wallet, obtained release on bail of one million US dollars.
Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business Monday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.