Yes

>>Solana Institute chief advocates for passage of CLARITY Act in Senate, emphasizing open-source protections.

Solana Institute chief advocates for passage of CLARITY Act in Senate, emphasizing open-source protections.

crypthub

6/10/2026, 9:41:03 AM

Push for Open-Source Developer Protections

Kristin Smith, CEO of the Solana Institute, is advocating for the passage of the CLARITY Act. She argues that the law must explicitly protect open-source developers, validators, and non-custodial wallet providers. These parties should not be classified as financial intermediaries or money transmitters under federal statutes. Smith stressed that these protections are crucial to keeping the technology's growth domestic.

Legal and Structural Argument

The central argument posits that these developers do not take custody of user funds or control how published code is used. Classifying them as financial intermediaries would impose undue obligations on those merely publishing software. The proposed legislation, which incorporates the BRCA, aims to legally distinguish developers from custodial money transmitters.

Current Legislative Status and Stakes

The CLARITY Act cleared the Senate Banking Committee and has broader support from major crypto companies. Without these explicit protections, open-source contributors face significant liability exposure simply for publishing code. Weakening this protective language could jeopardize the development of public blockchains and risk pushing industry activity offshore.