The new rule will have an immediate impact for U.S. citizens. They are now prohibited from accessing websites such as wasabiwallet.io, api.wasabiwallet.io, and zksnacks.com. zkSNACKs, the developer of Wasabi Wallet, has announced that U.S. citizens and residents are blocked from accessing its websites and using related services, including APIs and RPC interfaces.
The restrictions apply to all United States citizens and residents, whether permanent residents or passport holders. The developer mentioned “recent announcements by U.S. authorities” as the primary reason for its decision, aligning with other crypto platforms that have made similar adjustments due to increased scrutiny from U.S. regulators. Another example of a platform taking this step is Phoenix Wallet, which will cease operations for U.S. residents and remove its app from U.S. app stores starting May 3.
ACINQ also cited concerns raised by recent U.S. government statements as the reason for pulling Phoenix Wallet from U.S. app stores. The broader crackdown by U.S. authorities on crypto wallets and mixers involved in activities deemed questionable has led to severe penalties. This has sparked controversy within the crypto community, with some advocating for privacy rights in the context of Bitcoin’s principles.