The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) has launched its Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund to safeguard the decentralized, peer-to-peer integrity of the Bitcoin ecosystem. 

The fund aims to defend non-custodial tools and their developers from regulatory overreach to ensure innovation, privacy, and user autonomy.

The Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund focuses on preserving Bitcoin's decentralized nature through litigation and advocacy. 

It supports key legal cases and provides regulatory guidance to create a legal framework that fosters the growth and resilience of Bitcoin’s open-source community.

BPI emphasizes that Bitcoin's success is rooted in its peer-to-peer foundation, setting it apart from other electronic cash systems. 

This decentralized, open-source tool, driven by its users, operates independently of greed, corruption, politics, or overregulation. 

Developers have created non-custodial tools like multi-signature wallets, Lightning Service Providers, and Coinjoin coordinators to enhance security, facilitate low-cost transactions, and ensure privacy.

Recently, U.S. regulators have targeted the non-custodial ecosystem by prosecuting developers of open-source tools and companies like Tornado Cash, Samourai Wallet, Uniswap, and MetaMask. 

The fund’s first project is defending Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, founders of Samourai Wallet. 

Rodriguez and Hill face charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money services business.

BPI co-founder David Zell stated that "by defending this case, the fund aims to ensure the court understands the technology and legal principles at stake and seeks a favorable result establishing that non-custodial privacy tools cannot be regulated under the Bank Secrecy Act."

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