In their latest announcement, zkSNACKs has indefinitely banned US citizens from accessing its Wasabi Wallet.
zkSNACKs, the company behind the Wasabi Bitcoin wallet, announced an indefinite ban on US users on April 27 via a notice on its website.
According to the recent announcement, zkSNACKs has implemented an immediate and indefinite block on US citizens and residents from accessing its websites. The ban extends to the download and usage of Wasabi Wallet, as well as any related products and services.
Furthermore, zkSNACKs also stated that the ban was based on recent announcements from US authorities, hinting at possible regulatory concerns.
Accordingly, zkSNACKs has implemented IP blocking for US citizens across wasabiwallet.io, api.wasabiwallet.io, and zksnacks.com.
While zkSNACKs’ announcement lacks specifics, the policy shift likely stems from the recent arrests of two Samourai Wallet founders earlier in the week.
Samourai Wallet is a Bitcoin wallet with privacy-enhancing features similar to Wasabi Wallet. However, it has faced allegations from US officials that it facilitates money laundering.
This aligns with the US’s increasing focus on regulating privacy-based crypto services. For instance, the founder of Tornado Cash is facing legal action over allegations of money laundering.
