Definition ∞ A Tornado Cash deposit refers to the act of sending digital assets into the Tornado Cash smart contract, a decentralized privacy protocol designed to obscure the origin and destination of cryptocurrency transactions. By mixing deposited funds with those of other users, it breaks the on-chain link between the sender and receiver. This action enhances transaction anonymity. It provides a layer of privacy for digital asset movements.
Context ∞ News frequently discusses Tornado Cash deposits in the context of financial privacy, anti-money laundering regulations, and sanctions compliance. The key debate involves balancing individual privacy rights with governmental efforts to prevent illicit financial activities. A critical future development concerns the ongoing legal and regulatory scrutiny of privacy-enhancing protocols and their implications for the broader digital asset ecosystem.