The U.S. Department of Justice will no longer seek criminal charges against software developers who create decentralized cryptocurrency platforms without intending to facilitate illicit activity, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti said on Thursday at the AIP summit in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “Our view is that merely writing code, without ill-intent, is not a crime,” Galeotti told attendees, adding that innovation in storing and transmitting value should not, on its own, expose developers to prosecution. Galeotti said the department will step back from bringing cases under 18 U.S.C. §1960(b)(1)(C)—a provision that makes operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business a felony—when the defendant’s role is limited to publishing neutral software. The commitment aligns DOJ practice with Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) guidance that non-custodial software development does not, by itself, trigger money-transmitter obligations. The clarification follows this month’s mixed Tornado Cash verdict, in which a jury convicted co-founder Roman Storm of conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business but could not agree on separate money-laundering and sanctions counts. Industry advocates argued the case blurred the line between code publication and participation in illicit transactions, heightening anxiety among open-source developers. Galeotti’s remarks underscore a broader recalibration of federal crypto policy under President Donald Trump. The Justice Department has dissolved its crypto-specific enforcement team, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has recently withdrawn several civil actions against digital-asset firms. While trade groups welcomed Thursday’s statement, they said additional guidance is needed to spell out how prosecutors will distinguish neutral tools from platforms that actively facilitate wrongdoing.