Bipartisan bill shields blockchain developers from criminal money‑laundering law to keep tech jobs in U.S.
A bipartisan bill, the Promoting Innovation in Blockchain Development Act of 2026, was introduced to protect software and open‑source blockchain developers from prosecution under Section 1960—a U.S. criminal statute aimed at money‑transmitting offenses and money laundering. The measure aims to remove legal uncertainty that has chilled American innovation and pushed developers to friendlier jurisdictions. The article highlights the broader policy context: clear regulatory frameworks abroad, the U.S. SEC’s reported shift under Chairman Paul Atkins toward engagement and rulemaking, and ecosystem growth examples such as Solana (noted for leading new developer growth in 2024 per Electric Capital). The piece argues that protecting benign coding activity and providing durable, understandable rules will help retain talent, preserve U.S. leadership in digital financial infrastructure, and support evolution toward faster, internet‑native capital markets.
Bullish
This bill reduces legal risk for blockchain and open‑source developers in the U.S., improving the regulatory clarity that influences where teams choose to build. Reduced prosecution risk and clearer policy signals (plus the SEC’s reported shift toward engagement) are pro‑innovation, likely supporting developer activity and long‑term onshore project growth. For traders, increased domestic development and regulatory clarity tend to be bullish for on‑chain ecosystems and native tokens (especially those tied to developer adoption like SOL). In the short term, market reaction may be muted because legislation must pass and implementation details matter; volatility could spike around bill progress or specific regulatory guidance. Historically, clearer pro‑development policy (or perceived regulatory wins) has correlated with positive momentum in associated tokens and improved risk appetite—examples include jurisdictional clarifications or favorable rulings that preceded rallies in ecosystem tokens. Overall, the net effect is supportive of long‑term demand and infrastructure development, making the news bullish but with a cautious short‑term outlook pending legislative and regulatory follow‑through.