Election Coverage 2024

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The latest crypto poll seeks to make the case that some voters have single-issue love for crypto as the race for the White House and Congress near an end. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Industry-Funded Polls Back Crypto Message: They Have Enough Voters to Make a Splash

While these voter surveys are paid for with an ultimate aim of getting policy-makers' attention, the data shared by industry groups makes a case some voters seem to feel stron...
The latest crypto poll seeks to make the case that some voters have single-issue love for crypto as the race for the White House and Congress near an end. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
The U.S. Treasury Department isn't embracing crypto as an answer to financial inclusion. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Crypto Ghosted in U.S. Treasury Department's New Strategy on Financial Inclusion
The report touts strategies to connect people with financial tools, but the only mention of crypto refers to its risks – a contrast to Kamala Harris' positive tone on the camp...
The U.S. Treasury Department isn't embracing crypto as an answer to financial inclusion. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Los Angeles, CA - March 05: A poll worker moves a ballot box as voters to arrive and cast ballots inside the cavernous lobby of the Metro Headquarters Building on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Activist Group Says Kalshi’s Election Market Should Be Shut Due to 'Manipulative' Whales
Better Markets is using Polymarket's "French connection" as ammo against the prediction market's regulated competitor.
Los Angeles, CA - March 05: A poll worker moves a ballot box as voters to arrive and cast ballots inside the cavernous lobby of the Metro Headquarters Building on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler is entering his final chapter atop the agency. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Gary Gensler's Contentious Reign Over Crypto Approaches Its Twilight
The U.S. SEC chair has arguably been the individual with the greatest influence over the direction of America's crypto policies, but his days atop the agency are numbered.
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler is entering his final chapter atop the agency. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

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The Latest News on the U.S. Election

The latest crypto poll seeks to make the case that some voters have single-issue love for crypto as the race for the White House and Congress near an end. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Industry-Funded Polls Back Crypto Message: They Have Enough Voters to Make a Splash

While these voter surveys are paid for with an ultimate aim of getting policy-makers' attention, the data shared by industry groups makes a case some voters seem to feel stron...

The latest crypto poll seeks to make the case that some voters have single-issue love for crypto as the race for the White House and Congress near an end. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
The U.S. Treasury Department isn't embracing crypto as an answer to financial inclusion. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Crypto Ghosted in U.S. Treasury Department's New Strategy on Financial Inclusion

The report touts strategies to connect people with financial tools, but the only mention of crypto refers to its risks – a contrast to Kamala Harris' positive tone on the camp...

The U.S. Treasury Department isn't embracing crypto as an answer to financial inclusion. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Los Angeles, CA - March 05: A poll worker moves a ballot box as voters to arrive and cast ballots inside the cavernous lobby of the Metro Headquarters Building on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Activist Group Says Kalshi’s Election Market Should Be Shut Due to 'Manipulative' Whales

Better Markets is using Polymarket's "French connection" as ammo against the prediction market's regulated competitor.

Los Angeles, CA - March 05: A poll worker moves a ballot box as voters to arrive and cast ballots inside the cavernous lobby of the Metro Headquarters Building on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler is entering his final chapter atop the agency. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Gary Gensler's Contentious Reign Over Crypto Approaches Its Twilight

The U.S. SEC chair has arguably been the individual with the greatest influence over the direction of America's crypto policies, but his days atop the agency are numbered.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler is entering his final chapter atop the agency. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen said he's backing Vice President Kamala Harris' election effort with $10 million in XRP.
Ripple Co-Founder Larsen Flooding Kamala Harris' Election Effort With XRP

Chris Larsen has donated more than $11 million to the vice president's election effort, sending millions worth of the crypto token to the Democratic super PAC Future Forward,...

Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen said he's backing Vice President Kamala Harris' election effort with $10 million in XRP.
Donald J. Trump at a rally (Gerd Altmann, modified by CoinDesk)
Kalshi Finds 'Widespread Evidence' of Strong Republican Momentum in U.S. Elections

A note from Kalshi's market research team suggests the prediction market - polls gap can be explained by Harris' sliding popularity with key demographics.

Donald J. Trump at a rally (Gerd Altmann, modified by CoinDesk)
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Editorial: We Applaud Trump’s Crypto Efforts Though His Record, Rhetoric Raise Red Flags

The former president deserves credit for making crypto a campaign issue. We wish his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, would say more about it.

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Screen grab from Trump's teaser of the new World Liberty Financial crypto company (Rug Radio, modified by CoinDesk using PhotoMosh)
Trump-Supported World Liberty Financial Will Start Public Token Sale Next Week

The WLFI token sale will be open for everyone who has been qualified through the project's whitelist.

Screen grab from Trump's teaser of the new World Liberty Financial crypto company (Rug Radio, modified by CoinDesk using PhotoMosh)
Donald Trump has pulled ahead of Kamala Harris on Polymarket. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Trump's Lead Over Harris Widens on Polymarket's Prediction Market

His odds of winning the U.S. presidential election have soared to a more than two-month high.

Donald Trump has pulled ahead of Kamala Harris on Polymarket. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 02:  In this photo illustration, the names of the candidates for the 2024 Presidential election, including Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, appear on a vote-by-mail ballot on October 02, 2024 in Miami, Florida. With 33 days to go until election day, voters across the nation have begun to receive their absentee/mail ballots. (Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
U.S. Election Betting: Regulated Presidential Markets Are Live, and Tiny Compared to Polymarket's

With a month to go before Election Day, Kalshi and Interactive Brokers have listed prediction markets on the race for the White House.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 02:  In this photo illustration, the names of the candidates for the 2024 Presidential election, including Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, appear on a vote-by-mail ballot on October 02, 2024 in Miami, Florida. With 33 days to go until election day, voters across the nation have begun to receive their absentee/mail ballots. (Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Beijing's Forbidden City. (Ling Tang/Unsplash)
China's Former Minister of Finance Calls Crypto a 'Crucial Aspect' of Digital Economy

The former minister called on Beijing to study the industry in light of Republican candidate Donald Trump's comments on crypto.

Beijing's Forbidden City. (Ling Tang/Unsplash)
Crypto has arisen as a potentially potent issue among voters in the 2024 election. (Getty Images)
Crypto Poll: U.S. Voters More Serious About Demanding Candidates With Know-How

The latest Harris Poll look at U.S. voters shows more than half want crypto-informed candidates, and a separate analysis argues crypto voters could be a force in 2024.

Crypto has arisen as a potentially potent issue among voters in the 2024 election. (Getty Images)
Sen. Sherrod Brown, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee who has so far spurned crypto legislation, faces on onslaught of $40 million in crypto cash backing his Ohio election opponent. (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)
Crypto PACs Dominate Ohio Senate Race, Spending $40M on Sherrod Brown's Foe

Crypto-fan candidate Bernie Moreno has caught up in Ohio polls as the industry's cash outpaces other PACs in one of the key U.S. Senate races that may decide the majority.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee who has so far spurned crypto legislation, faces on onslaught of $40 million in crypto cash backing his Ohio election opponent. (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)
Vice President Kamala Harris has started talking about crypto on the presidential campaign trail, but it may not go much deeper. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Candidate Harris Unlikely to Make Full-Throated Crypto Policy Before Election: Source

Senior campaign officials are meeting with a select group of crypto insiders to hash out policy concerns, but those in the discussions aren't expecting a big splash before the...

Vice President Kamala Harris has started talking about crypto on the presidential campaign trail, but it may not go much deeper. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Kamala Harris (YouTube)
Harris Says Her White House Will 'Invest in America's Future' Which Includes 'Digital Assets'

The Democratic nominee promises she'll be a tech-friendly president in remarks to donors.

Kamala Harris (YouTube)
(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Prediction Markets Go to Washington('s Appeals Court)

A federal appeals court will consider the CFTC's ongoing efforts to keep political prediction markets from launching.

(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Kalshi is trying to launch U.S. political prediction markets ahead of the 2024 election. (Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
U.S. Election Betting: CFTC, Kalshi Both Grilled by Judges in Appeals Court

The agency appealed a lower court's decision to let the firm offer prediction markets on which party will control each house of Congress. Crypto firms are watching the case.

Kalshi is trying to launch U.S. political prediction markets ahead of the 2024 election. (Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
U.S. CFTC Chair Behnam Says Regulator Will Keep Pursuing Kalshi Case

The U.S. derivatives regulator's legal battle with the prediction markets is currently winding its way through an appeals court.

CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Other Major Elections

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer secured victory in the U.K. election (Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
Labour Landslide Sets Up Starmer as UK Prime Minister With Unstated Crypto Plans

While the industry was not mentioned in the party's manifesto or on the campaign trail, Labour has said it will support tokenization and a central bank digital currency.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer secured victory in the U.K. election (Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
Labour leader Keir Starmer campaigns as U.K. election day comes closer (Carl Court/Getty Images)
Ahead of the U.K. Election, Major Parties Remain Silent on Crypto Issues

The U.K. is set to hold its first election in five years on Thursday and crypto is not a campaign-trail issue.

Labour leader Keir Starmer campaigns as U.K. election day comes closer (Carl Court/Getty Images)
South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa has been appointed to a new term as president. (Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)
South Africa Re-Elects Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC as President

The election results are not expected to have much of an impact on South Africa's crypto industry.

South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa has been appointed to a new term as president. (Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images)
Labour Leader Keir Starmer Meets New Labour MP Chris Webb 16x9
Industry Stakeholders Believe a UK Election Won't Derail Crypto Plans

A U.K. election is expected to happen this year, but it likely won't change the trajectory of the country's crypto policy efforts.

Labour Leader Keir Starmer Meets New Labour MP Chris Webb 16x9

India Elections

Narendra Modi greets supporters in May. (Elke Scholiers/Getty Images)
India Springs Election Surprise, Sends Equity Market Crashing With Uncertain Implications for Crypto

Any plans for comprehensive crypto legislation could be kicked further down the road after a weaker-than-forecast showing for the governing party.

Narendra Modi greets supporters in May. (Elke Scholiers/Getty Images)
(L-R) Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India and Nirmala Sitharaman, Indian Finance Minister at the G20 Annual Meetings, in Washington DC in October 2022. (Indian Ministry of Finance)
India Keeps Stiff Taxes on Crypto as Interim-Budget Is Revealed in Election Year

Expectations were low for a change in the stiff taxes on crypto transactions: a 30% tax on profits and a 1% TDS on all transactions.

(L-R) Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India and Nirmala Sitharaman, Indian Finance Minister at the G20 Annual Meetings, in Washington DC in October 2022. (Indian Ministry of Finance)
Indian flag, elections, ballot box, casting vote. (Gettyimages/btgbtg)
What’s at Stake for Crypto in India as the World’s Largest Democracy Is in the Midst of Its National Election?

Crypto’s significance as an election issue remains non-existent or at best negligible.

Indian flag, elections, ballot box, casting vote. (Gettyimages/btgbtg)

EU Elections

The EU flag (Christian Lue/Unsplash)
Elections Across Europe Won't Hinder Bloc's Crypto Ambitions

France, Austria, Germany and other countries are expected to have elections soon, following this month's European Parliament contest.

The EU flag (Christian Lue/Unsplash)
EU parliament facade (Guillaume Périgois/Unsplash)
What Do the EU Election Results Mean for Digital Assets?

Centrist parties hold power, but a right-wing majority is active on polarizing issues. The crypto industry needs to choose what it stands for, and with whom it wants to work,...

EU parliament facade (Guillaume Périgois/Unsplash)
(Pixabay)
EU Vote See Reelection of Some Officials With Key Roles in Bloc's Crypto Journey

Among the MEPs retaining their seats is Stefan Berger, who steered the landmark MiCA legislation.

(Pixabay)
Emmanuel Macron (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Macron Calls Surprise French Election That's Unlikely to Stir Crypto, Is Likely to Shake Up Government

The French president called a snap election after an unexpectedly poor showing in voting for the European Parliament.

Emmanuel Macron (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Global Election Coverage

(Sam Reynolds)
Harris Odds Rise on Polymarket as 'Election Fraud' Allegations Ramp Up Trump Hedge Bets

At current prices, a $10,000 punt on Harris could equal a $25,000 payout if she wins the U.S. presidential election.

(Sam Reynolds)
The government Friday morning released its jobs report for October (Unsplash)
U.S. Added Just 12K Jobs in October, Far Short of 113K Expected

The October employment numbers are among the last pieces of economic data that could factor into the elections and Fed policy meeting next week.

The government Friday morning released its jobs report for October (Unsplash)
The latest crypto poll seeks to make the case that some voters have single-issue love for crypto as the race for the White House and Congress near an end. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Industry-Funded Polls Back Crypto Message: They Have Enough Voters to Make a Splash

While these voter surveys are paid for with an ultimate aim of getting policy-makers' attention, the data shared by industry groups makes a case some voters seem to feel stron...

The latest crypto poll seeks to make the case that some voters have single-issue love for crypto as the race for the White House and Congress near an end. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Funny portrait of a welsh corgi pembroke dog showering with shampoo.  Dog taking a bubble bath in grooming salon.
Fortune Claims Polymarket Is 'Rife' With Wash Trading

As much as a third of the prediction market's volume is inflated by traders acting as the buyer and seller — an illegal practice in TradFi — on the same trades, Fortune report...

Funny portrait of a welsh corgi pembroke dog showering with shampoo.  Dog taking a bubble bath in grooming salon.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong (Coinbase)
Coinbase Pours $25M More Into Fairshake as CEO Armstrong Says 'We’re Not Slowing Down'

“The crypto voter is already a force to be reckoned with, but it will continue to grow,” CEO Brian Armstrong said.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong (Coinbase)
The U.S. Treasury Department isn't embracing crypto as an answer to financial inclusion. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Crypto Ghosted in U.S. Treasury Department's New Strategy on Financial Inclusion

The report touts strategies to connect people with financial tools, but the only mention of crypto refers to its risks – a contrast to Kamala Harris' positive tone on the camp...

The U.S. Treasury Department isn't embracing crypto as an answer to financial inclusion. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Dogecoin (DOGE) price on Oct. 28 (CoinDesk)
Dogecoin Jumps 10%, Outperforming on Trump Popularity as Bitcoin Nears $70K

Bitcoin's "bullish setup" into the U.S. election next week mirrors late 2020, which preceded a 120% rally in two months, Matthew Sigel of VanEck said.

Dogecoin (DOGE) price on Oct. 28 (CoinDesk)
Voting booths (Philip Oroni / Unsplash)
Crypto Policy Didn't Occupy the Spotlight in Elections in Austria, Georgia

Elections in Georgia were more focused on whether or not the country should align further with the European Union or Russia.

Voting booths (Philip Oroni / Unsplash)
Los Angeles, CA - March 05: A poll worker moves a ballot box as voters to arrive and cast ballots inside the cavernous lobby of the Metro Headquarters Building on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Activist Group Says Kalshi’s Election Market Should Be Shut Due to 'Manipulative' Whales

Better Markets is using Polymarket's "French connection" as ammo against the prediction market's regulated competitor.

Los Angeles, CA - March 05: A poll worker moves a ballot box as voters to arrive and cast ballots inside the cavernous lobby of the Metro Headquarters Building on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 22: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump dances on stage after speaking at a campaign rally at the Greensboro Coliseum on October 22, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. With 14 days to go until Election Day, Trump continues to crisscross the country campaigning to return to office. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump Polymarket Odds Briefly Dip After His No. 2 Bull Adds Bet on Harris

The former president's probability of retaking the White House slid to 59% Wednesday before rebounding.

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 22: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump dances on stage after speaking at a campaign rally at the Greensboro Coliseum on October 22, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. With 14 days to go until Election Day, Trump continues to crisscross the country campaigning to return to office. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Rep. Andy Barr (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)
Andy Barr's 'Vision' for House Financial Services

The Kentucky lawmaker is running to succeed crypto-advocate Patrick McHenry as chair of the powerful U.S. House Financial Services Committee.

Rep. Andy Barr (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler is entering his final chapter atop the agency. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Gary Gensler's Contentious Reign Over Crypto Approaches Its Twilight

The U.S. SEC chair has arguably been the individual with the greatest influence over the direction of America's crypto policies, but his days atop the agency are numbered.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler is entering his final chapter atop the agency. (Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen said he's backing Vice President Kamala Harris' election effort with $10 million in XRP.
Ripple Co-Founder Larsen Flooding Kamala Harris' Election Effort With XRP

Chris Larsen has donated more than $11 million to the vice president's election effort, sending millions worth of the crypto token to the Democratic super PAC Future Forward,...

Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen said he's backing Vice President Kamala Harris' election effort with $10 million in XRP.
More crypto ETFs, including current applications for an XRP or solana ETF, might not ever be approved if Kamala Harris beats Donald Trump in the presidential election, two ETF experts said. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Crypto ETFs Look Unlikely to Expand Beyond Bitcoin, Ether Under Kamala Harris, Experts Say

Several prospective issuers have filed to launch exchange-traded funds tracking smaller coins like Ripple's XRP or Solana (SOL), but the trajectory of those applications may l...

More crypto ETFs, including current applications for an XRP or solana ETF, might not ever be approved if Kamala Harris beats Donald Trump in the presidential election, two ETF experts said. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
(Ed Lyman/NOAA)
No, Polymarket Whales Aren't Evidence of Prediction Market Manipulation

If you think the Trump bulls are wrong, bet against them.

(Ed Lyman/NOAA)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 21: A person wears an 'I Voted' sticker after casting their ballot in a polling station as early voting begins on October 21, 2024, in Miami, Florida. Early voting runs from Oct. 21 through Nov. 3 in Miami-Dade and Broward. People head to the polls to decide, among other races, the next president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
U.S. Election Betting: Kalshi's Polymarket Rival Quickly Gets Traction

In just three weeks, Kalshi's presidential prediction market has passed $30M in volume. It still trails the $2 billion traded on Polymarket since January.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 21: A person wears an 'I Voted' sticker after casting their ballot in a polling station as early voting begins on October 21, 2024, in Miami, Florida. Early voting runs from Oct. 21 through Nov. 3 in Miami-Dade and Broward. People head to the polls to decide, among other races, the next president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Republican sweep in U.S. election would be most bullish outcome for Coinbase and crypto market: Citi. (Fox News/Modified by CoinDesk)
Republican Sweep in U.S. Election Would be the Most Bullish Outcome for Coinbase and the Crypto Market: Citi

Republican control of the Senate would be key to passing bills such as FIT21 and appointing pro-crypto agency leaders, and digital asset reform would likely happen sooner with...

Republican sweep in U.S. election would be most bullish outcome for Coinbase and crypto market: Citi. (Fox News/Modified by CoinDesk)
DOYLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 15: Rich Kampert, 71, votes using an absentee or mail-in ballot on October 15, 2024 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Registered voters in Pennsylvania can vote "On Demand" by requesting, a mail-in or absentee ballot filing it out and dropping it off all in one visit to their county election office or other designated location. (Photo by Hannah Beier/Getty Images)
U.S. Election Betting: Federal Court 'Erred' in Letting Kalshi Launch Prediction Markets, CFTC Says

The regulator filed its opening brief in its appeals case to tamp down on political event contracts.

DOYLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 15: Rich Kampert, 71, votes using an absentee or mail-in ballot on October 15, 2024 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Registered voters in Pennsylvania can vote "On Demand" by requesting, a mail-in or absentee ballot filing it out and dropping it off all in one visit to their county election office or other designated location. (Photo by Hannah Beier/Getty Images)

How Upcoming Elections Around the World Could Impact the Crypto Industry