Democrats Seek Crypto Allies: Heated Zoom Meeting with Industry Titans as 2024 Election Looms
August 11, 2024A recent Zoom conference hosted by Congressman Ro Khanna aimed to enhance relations between the Democratic Party and the cryptocurrency industry as the 2024 presidential election approaches.
The meeting featured prominent figures, including billionaire investor Mark Cuban and executives from major cryptocurrency firms like Kraken, Uniswap, Ripple, and Coinbase.
Tensions flared when Wally Adeyemo claimed that access to the cryptocurrency market was not being intentionally restricted, prompting a show of hands from attendees that indicated widespread rejection of banking requests.
Crypto leaders expressed frustration over perceived regulatory attacks from entities like the Securities and Exchange Commission, contributing to the heated atmosphere.
Discontent arose among crypto executives regarding the SEC's enforcement-first approach to regulating the industry.
Despite the confrontational environment, discussions also explored potential policy outcomes and use cases for cryptocurrency.
Some participants, including Anthony Scaramucci, maintained a cautiously optimistic outlook, appreciating the opportunity for dialogue amidst the tensions.
Scaramucci also mentioned ongoing efforts for a bipartisan solution regarding the crypto industry.
The 'Crypto4Harris' campaign aims to engage crypto advocates, although skepticism remains about Kamala Harris's commitment to the cryptocurrency sector due to her previous silence on the issue.
The Democratic Party faces significant challenges in mending its relationship with the crypto sector, especially with Donald Trump gaining traction among crypto voters.
Following the meeting, Polymarket traders updated their predictions, showing Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump in the odds for the 2024 presidential election.
James Seyffart from Bloomberg noted that the Democratic 'reset' with the crypto industry appears to be progressing well.
Summary based on 2 sources
Get a daily email with more Crypto stories
Sources
International Business Times • Aug 9, 2024
Harris Flips Some Swing States On Polymarket After Dems' 'Heated' Crypto RoundtableBitcoinist.com • Aug 11, 2024
Online Meeting To Mend Crypto, Democrat Relations Turns Ugly