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In the growing conflict between proponents of financial independence and regulatory authorities eager for total openness, privacy has suddenly been championed at the very top of the American surveillance system. Hester Pierce, one of the SEC commissioners, has spoken out strongly in defense of the key principles of the crypto world.

The essence of Pierce's position is the inviolability of the human right to private ownership of their digital assets. In her opinion, technologies that provide financial anonymity and the ability to store cryptocurrency yourself are not a luxurious maximum, but a basic minimum that everyone is entitled to.

However, her statement went beyond the usual limits. Pierce strongly disagrees with developers being held accountable if their open source or software is suddenly used against the law.

She recalled one dubious initiative during the Trump administration concerning "decentralized brokers." Back then, the authorities tried to force even DeFi platforms to collect personal data about everyone who conducts transactions, just like regular banks. Although the people have achieved the abolition of these rules, this very attempt, Pierce believes, raises concerns. The authorities seem to want to create a total surveillance system where every transaction will leave a digital footprint.

These comments were made just at the time when the court was concluding the trial of Roman Storm, who was involved in Tornado Cash. Storms is accused of using the service for money laundering.

Hester Pierce's arguments are like the last fortress defending the real idea of cryptocurrencies: to be an instrument of freedom, and not just another digital asset that has been regulated to death. Will those who make decisions hear her voice, or will privacy finally be sacrificed to the fight against illegal finance?