Defend Developers PAC launches to protect crypto developers

Defend Developers PAC launched Wednesday with backing from executives and policy leads at the DeFi Education Fund, the Solana Policy Institute and Uniswap Labs. The committee said it will support candidates who favor legal protections for software developers working on blockchain technology as federal lawmakers negotiate crypto legislation ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

The PAC’s stated policy goal is to press for the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, or BRCA, language in broader federal legislation known as the Clarity Act. BRCA would make clear that non-custodial developers-programmers who write code but do not hold or control user funds-are not money transmitters. The money-transmitter designation carries licensing, reporting and compliance obligations under state and federal law.

Board members listed by the PAC include Brian Nistler, head of policy at Uniswap Labs; Amanda Tuminelli, CEO of the DeFi Education Fund; and Miller Whitehouse-Levine, CEO of the Solana Policy Institute. Founder Gavin Zavatone said the committee will both fund candidates and engage policymakers on developer protections and permissionless blockchain infrastructure.

BRCA was included in the version of the Clarity Act that the Senate Banking Committee approved, but negotiators removed language that would have extended BRCA protections to Section 301 of the bill, which covers Bank Secrecy Act–related sanctions requirements. That change narrowed the scope of the protection backers had sought.

Law enforcement and national security officials have expressed concerns that broad statutory carve-outs could limit tools for pursuing financial crime linked to decentralized platforms. The Blockchain Association recently sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer urging passage of the Clarity Act while stressing the need for workable enforcement tools.

The Defend Developers PAC joins other crypto-focused political committees. The Blockchain Leadership Fund launched in March with support from Anchorage Digital and Chainlink Labs. The cryptocurrency industry has spent millions of dollars in the 2024 election cycle through super PACs and other political groups.

In a written statement, Gavin Zavatone, the PAC’s founder, said: “For too long, developers building decentralized technologies have faced regulatory uncertainty and enforcement actions instead of clear rules and guidelines.” The PAC said it will back lawmakers who “actively champion developer protections, decentralized technology, and permissionless blockchain infrastructure.”

The group said it will use campaign contributions and advocacy to press for developer protections as negotiations over the Clarity Act continue. Lawmakers will consider the legal status of software developers and related compliance obligations as they work on the bill.