Vitalik Buterin Confirms Ethereum Foundation Support for Tornado Cash Cofounder

Ethereum (ETH) cofounder Vitalik Buterin has confirmed that the Ethereum Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports projects related to the blockchain, is involved in fundraising for Roman Storm. Buterin announced this in a post on his X handle to the cryptocurrency community.

Ethereum Foundation steps in as legal battle approaches

According to Buterin, the Ethereum Foundation is currently “matching donations” toward the legal defense of Storm, the Tornado Cash cofounder. Notably, Storm is currently facing legal issues in the U.S., including charges related to money laundering and sanctions violations.

For context, Storm’s legal case is controversial in the crypto world. Many in the Ethereum and broader community view it as a threat. They consider the legal case a way to suppress “open-source” development and financial privacy tools.

The U.S. government sanctioned Tornado Cash in 2022 for allegedly using different parts of its supply chain to support nefarious activities. According to the allegations, Tornado Cash assisted North Korea in laundering some funds stolen from Axie Infinity.

Understandably, prominent figures in the crypto community are supporting his defense by contributing to cover his legal fees. Buterin, in his recent post, has now confirmed that for every donation made to the cause, the Ethereum Foundation will match it.

This move could go a long way toward ensuring that Storm gets the proper representation when his case goes to court. According to Roman Storm’s notice, willing donors have 19 days left to send their donations for his legal defense fund.

U.S. Treasury sanction reversal adds hope to Storm’s defense

Interestingly, the U.S. Treasury Department finally lifted the sanctions on Tornado Cash in March 2025. Many in the DeFi community have hailed this as a significant win for the decentralized finance sector in the U.S. Some believe this might even help Storm’s case in court.

Buterin’s current effort through the Ethereum Foundation to match donations made toward Storm’s defense is a way to ensure that the crypto developer gets the best legal team.