Bits + Bips: Is Crypto Privateering Even Legal?

What happened

The Bits + Bips podcast featured Austin Campbell outlining the strongest legal objections to former President Trump’s memo on privateering, arguing it may breach international piracy law and could label private hackers as unlawful combatants, and questioning past war approvals.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

If a privateering memo is deemed illegal, crypto projects may face higher legal risk when hiring off‑shore security teams, potentially raising costs and limiting the ability to protect assets against attacks.

Analyst inference

Regulators worldwide are tightening oversight of crypto‑related activities; the memo adds another layer of uncertainty that could influence how investors view the sector’s compliance risk and future growth.

Analyst inference

What to watch

1. Any official response from the State Department clarifying whether the memo will be enforced, which would signal how seriously the government views private hacking in crypto. Proposed
2. Litigation or legislative challenges to the memo that could set precedents for how international piracy law applies to cyber‑operations. Proposed
3. Crypto firms’ adjustments to security spend or hiring practices if they interpret the memo as increasing legal exposure for private hackers. Analyst inference

Evidence

• megaphone.link