Cryptocurrency companies have allocated $189 million to the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, surpassing their previous investment. This figure represents more than a third of all corporate money in these elections, seeking to influence laws that benefit the sector. For citizens, this means that large corporations have growing power over political decisions, affecting how financial markets are regulated. The conclusion is that corporate money increasingly dominates U.S. politics.
Blockchain and Lobbying: The Technology Behind the Influence 🏛️
The spending is not random; it targets lawmakers who will vote on regulations such as classifying tokens as securities or commodities. Companies like Coinbase and Ripple have hired lobbying firms with technical expertise to explain concepts like proof-of-stake or DeFi. The goal is to avoid restrictive laws that hinder mass adoption. Meanwhile, regulators like the SEC and CFTC watch closely, but corporate money is already shaping the legal framework before it is written. It's a game of influence where technology is the perfect excuse.
Democracy at a Discount: 189 Million Reasons 💸
$189 million to buy political will. It sounds expensive, but in the crypto world, it's a bargain compared to what is spent on Bitcoin mining. Now it turns out that politicians also mine, but not cryptocurrencies—rather votes in exchange for donations. The funny thing is that while crypto promises decentralization, its political strategy is more centralized than a Swiss bank. In the end, the democratic system looks like an NFT: expensive, inflated, and with very specific owners.