Crypto Lobbyists Are Quietly Influencing 2024 Election: This Is Their Playbook

Benzinga · 10/16 13:32

The cryptocurrency industry emerged as a major player in the 2024 U.S. election cycle.

What Happened: According to recent reports from CNBC and Politico, crypto-linked political action committees (PACs) and donors have contributed significant sums to both Republican and Democratic candidates, with a particular focus on key congressional races.

A pro-Donald Trump PAC, the Trump 47 Committee, raised approximately $7.5 million in cryptocurrency donations since early June, CNBC reported on Wednesday.

These contributions include popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) and stablecoins like USDC (CRYPTO: USDC). The donations come from a diverse group of supporters across more than 15 states, including battleground regions.

Also Read: Trump Falls 3 Points Behind Harris In New Poll, Economic Worries Dominate Voter Concerns: Report

Notable contributors include David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc., the parent company of Bitcoin Magazine.

Bailey, who donated over $498,000 in Bitcoin, is part of a group that helped shift Trump’s stance on cryptocurrency from skepticism to enthusiasm.

Other significant donors include Mike Belshe, CEO of BitGo, and Stuart Alderoty, Ripple’s legal chief, who contributed $300,000 in XRP.

On the Democratic side, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen donated $1 million worth of XRP to Future Forward, a super PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris‘s presidential bid. This highlights the non-partisan nature of crypto industry support, with donations flowing to candidates on both sides of the aisle.

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Why It Matters: While the crypto industry is investing heavily in political campaigns, their messaging rarely mentions cryptocurrency directly.

Politico reported on Monday that crypto-backed super PACs like Defend American Jobs, Protect Progress, and Fairshake have collectively spent $125 million on independent expenditures this cycle, accounting for 8% of all outside spending in congressional races.

However, their ads focus on general issues such as the economy, border security and candidates’ biographies rather than crypto-specific topics.

The industry’s approach reflects a strategic decision to support candidates who are favorable to crypto interests without necessarily making cryptocurrency a central campaign issue.

Many of the backed candidates have supported key legislative priorities for the crypto industry, such as the bill to establish regulatory authority for different classes of digital assets.

The surge in crypto-related political spending comes as the industry seeks to influence future regulations and gain more mainstream acceptance. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and her Republican challenger John Deaton sparred over crypto-related questions in their debate on Tuesday evening.

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