In an effort to protect Americans’ privacy in transacting with crypto assets, a U.S. congressman introduced the “Keep Your Coins Act.” The legislation, according to the legislator, would prevent federal agencies from enacting rules that limit self-custody.

US Lawmaker Seeks to Protect Privacy in Crypto Transactions With ‘Keep Your Coins Act’

The office of Congressman Warren Davidson (OH-R) announced Thursday that the lawmaker has introduced the Keep Your Coins Act “to protect transaction privacy.”

The announcement explains that the proposed legislation is “designed to preserve Americans’ right to privacy in transacting with crypto assets,” adding:

Specifically, this legislation would prohibit any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair a person’s ability to act as self-custodian.

“A person would then be able to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their crypto assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary,” the announcement continues. “This would essentially cut out any need for a financial institution or money service business to facilitate a transaction.”

 

The lawmaker from Ohio detailed: “As the federal government seeks more regulation of the crypto ecosystem, it seeks to impose more surveillance over American citizens. It’s vital that we preserve the attributes of cash transactions by protecting the permissionless nature of cash.” Rep. Davidson stressed:

No third party should be required for two people (or companies) to use money as a means of exchange, store of value, and record of account. This bill ensures that individuals will always have the ability to transact without any intermediaries.

Davidson announced his intention to launch the bill Tuesday after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act. One of the measures afforded by the Canadian act is for banks and financial service providers to be able to “immediately freeze or suspend the account of an individual or business” affiliated with the Freedom Convoy protests without a court order.

Commenting on the Emergencies Act announcement, Davidson tweeted Tuesday: “Our office will be introducing legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives shortly to protect Americans from this version of overt theft.”