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"The government has legal and regulatory tools available at its disposal to confront the threats...The Department of Justice has built strong working relationships with its regulatory and enforcement partners" including the SEC, the CFTC, and other federal agencies. 

The Task Force noted that regulators have been successful in arresting and prosecuting criminals including the operator of the world’s largest online child sexual exploitation market. Regulators also rescued more than 20 child victims; seized hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of bitcoin, the largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the terrorism context, and dismantled terrorist financing campaigns, and many other successful enforcement actions involving the unlawful use of cryptocurrencies.

Cryptocurrency is vital but those using it must follow the law

Attorney General Barr summarized the Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework by emphasizing that cryptocurrencies are important to the U.S. and its allies and we should continue to make sure its use does not endanger the safety and security of the public and the nation.

Barr said, “Cryptocurrency is a technology that could fundamentally transform how human beings interact, and how we organize society.  Ensuring that use of this technology is safe, and does not imperil our public safety or our national security, is vitally important to America and its allies."

On the other hand, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray noted that they witness how criminals pose dangers to our society by using cryptocurrency to advance their illegal activities.

Wray said, “As this Enforcement Framework describes, we see criminals using cryptocurrency to try to prevent us from 'following the money’ across a wide range of investigations, as well as to trade in illicit goods like criminal tools on the dark web. For example, the cybercriminals behind ransomware attacks often use cryptocurrency to try to hide their true identities when acquiring malware and infrastructure and receiving ransom payments.

John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division and a member of the Task Force said, “As the Cryptocurrency Enforcement Framework explains, we will adapt our strategy and tools to 21st-century financing, including to combat the use of cryptocurrencies to evade enforcement and harm our national security.”

Brian C. Rabbitt, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division and a Tas Force member said, “Cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology present tremendous promise for the future, but it is critical that these important innovations follow the law...We will not hesitate to enforce the laws that govern these technologies when necessary to protect the public.”