The cryptocurrency industry has become the top political spender in the US, investing $189 million to influence the 2026 midterm elections. Major players like Ripple, Coinbase, and Crypto.com are channeling funds through Super PACs like Fairshake to support favorable candidates.
Donald Trump faces accusations of "brazen crypto corruption" after financial disclosures revealed his family's cryptocurrency ventures generated over $1 billion in his first year back in the White House. Democrats, including Elizabeth Warren, are demanding legislation to prevent officials from profiting from the crypto industry.
Public Citizen reported the cryptocurrency industry has contributed $189 million to the 2026 US election cycle, mirroring its 2024 strategy. Crypto-aligned PACs like Fairshake ($82M) and MAGA Inc. ($56M) are major spenders, prioritizing business interests in both Democratic and Republican primaries.
StarkWare has unveiled a three-phase quantum-resistant roadmap for its Starknet blockchain, urging the crypto industry to adopt similar measures against future quantum computing threats. CEO Eli Ben-Sasson stated that the necessary cryptography exists and vulnerability stems from inaction.
Cryptocurrency companies have invested a record $189 million in the 2026 elections, surpassing all other corporate sectors. A Public Citizen report highlights this surge, driven by firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Ripple Labs, aiming to influence policy and elect crypto-friendly candidates.
JPMorgan cautions that rapid US crypto regulation might create oversight gaps, particularly in stablecoin incentives and anti-money laundering tools, as the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act nears a Senate vote.
The CLARITY Act, a key crypto bill, faces dwindling chances of passing this year due to a tight Senate schedule, renewed partisan conflicts, and President Trump's unexpected demand tying it to a contentious housing bill. Industry estimates for its passage have dropped significantly.
US crypto firms and advocacy groups are intensifying lobbying efforts to secure a Senate vote on the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act before the August recess. The bill aims to establish a federal framework for digital assets, dividing oversight between the SEC and CFTC, but faces hurdles over anti-money laundering provisions and ethics concerns.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned amid falling poll numbers. Andy Burnham, former Mayor of Greater Manchester, is a leading contender to succeed him, with a stated optimism for the blockchain industry and a 'Web 3 powerhouse' vision for Manchester.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a former crypto critic, co-authored a bipartisan housing bill that includes a provision blocking the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail digital dollar until at least 2030, a significant legislative shift from her previous support for CBDCs.
Keir Starmer resigns as UK PM, triggering a Labour leadership contest. Andy Burnham emerges as the favorite, viewed by crypto executives as more receptive to digital assets. The transition occurs as the UK finalizes significant financial regulatory frameworks, with the next PM inheriting this process.
Crypto industry groups are pushing Congress to pass a tax bill that would exempt mining and staking rewards from taxable income. House Democrats are skeptical, fearing it could unfairly favor crypto over traditional investments, and prospects for the bill's passage this year remain uncertain as midterms approach.
Q2 2026 has seen a record 83 hacks targeting crypto protocols, though total losses are lower than previous peaks. Bridge exploits are the leading attack vector, accounting for $351 million stolen.
Europe's crypto sector braces for consolidation as the MiCA regulation's transition period ends July 1. Firms need a MiCA license to serve EU users, a process proving complex and costly, potentially leading to fewer, larger, and more tightly supervised entities. Binance's license denial highlights the challenges.
Fairshake, a crypto industry super PAC, spent over $12 million to help Barry Moore win an Alabama Senate Republican runoff. This win highlights the industry's success in primaries to secure pro-crypto lawmakers, yet their key legislative goal, the CLARITY Act, remains stalled in the Senate.
Illinois Governor Pritzker signed a new digital asset tax bill into law, imposing a 0.2% tax on crypto transactions starting January 1, 2027. The Crypto Council for Innovation criticized it as the "most punitive" in the nation, warning of severe consequences and potential exodus of innovation from the state. Lawmakers estimate the tax could generate $60 million next year.
Cryptocurrency industry-backed PACs, including Fairshake, spent millions supporting candidates in recent primaries across California, New Jersey, and South Dakota. A new PAC, Defend Developers, also launched to champion crypto builders.
The crypto industry, once facing regulatory crackdown after FTX's collapse, has become a major political force in the US. Spending millions across parties, it influenced elections and reshaped regulations, moving from a target to a powerful lobbying machine.
Chainalysis reports 47% of 2026 crypto onboardings use alerting standards that were top 10% in 2020, yet indirect monitoring lags behind direct, creating a gap for illicit actors.
Cryptocurrency industry groups are spending millions to influence Texas runoff elections for the US Senate and House. Candidates Christian Menefee and Ken Paxton are favored to win their respective races, potentially impacting future crypto policy in Congress.
The Senate Banking Committee advanced the CLARITY Act, a digital asset market framework, by a 15-9 vote. While not yet law, the bill signals Washington's intent to create clearer regulations, potentially boosting consumer and institutional confidence in crypto.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong supports the revised Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY) ahead of the US Senate's markup, citing bipartisan compromise on stablecoin yield and improved DeFi, tokenized stocks, and CFTC regulatory provisions.
The Senate Banking Committee's CLARITY Act, aimed at regulating crypto markets, faces over 100 amendments ahead of markup, testing fragile compromises on stablecoins, banking, and crypto industry interests.
The CLARITY Act is heading back to the Senate Banking Committee on May 14 after months of stalled negotiations, putting a small group of Democrats at the center of the crypto industry’s push for a federal market-structure law. The markup comes after the bill was slowed by disputes over stablecoin rewards, anti-money laundering safeguards and […] The post CLARITY Act’s markup progress now hinges on these Democrat lawmakers appeared first on CryptoSlate.
