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Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

reuters.com

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Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#21

Post by nkrisc »

stanleykm wrote: post #8
khurs wrote: post #3

A UK party rising up the charts is caught up in a scandal - crypto guy gave the party leader (personally) £5m which he failed to declare and he started the party a few days later indicating he was paid to start the party. It came out when Crypto guy gave an interview and mentioned it not realising the consequences. The party leader first claimed it was for security. Then it was determined he had bought property with…

I wonder why all the libertarian freedom loving crypto guys keep backing fascists

It’s not your freedom they care about.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#22

Post by ratelimitsteve »

hgoel wrote: post #15
paulpauper wrote: post #7

As far as the US is concerned, given how badly bitcoin has done since Trump was inaugurated, the worst performing asset class by far, I would say the ROI has been pretty bad. Industries and sectors that donated nothing still got bailouts and other initiatives, such as AI, quantum, metals, and semiconductors. Noting for crypto donors. No bailouts, or even mentions on twitter. Politicians can take money but they don't…

But is that also accounting for any regulatory pressure/investigations that might have otherwise hit those donors? Perhaps just the promise of not being prosecuted for their crimes if/when their scam collapses is sufficient ROI for them.

that and directing US dollars into crypto markets via the government. you can sell people on the idea with the same arguments that are currently moderately successful in convincing people to do things like buy gold as a retirement plan, and anyone who is holding crypto before the government "invests" in it will see incredible returns as demand spikes for an asset whose supply is intentionally capped. The crypto whales are suddenly in the presence of a crypto leviathan in the form of government spending, they not only make a ton of money but they can sell out without crashing the market (solving a huge problem, esp for shitcoin whales but realistically for major stakeholders in all crypto) and everyone who's actually involved in the decision-making process leaves with fistfuls of money from people who didn't meaningfully have a say in which bag they'd be purchasing or at what price.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#23

Post by Finnucane »

paulpauper wrote: post #7

As far as the US is concerned, given how badly bitcoin has done since Trump was inaugurated, the worst performing asset class by far, I would say the ROI has been pretty bad. Industries and sectors that donated nothing still got bailouts and other initiatives, such as AI, quantum, metals, and semiconductors. Noting for crypto donors. No bailouts, or even mentions on twitter. Politicians can take money but they don't…

Some of them have gotten out of jail.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#25

Post by sardine5 »

stanleykm wrote: post #8
khurs wrote: post #3

A UK party rising up the charts is caught up in a scandal - crypto guy gave the party leader (personally) £5m which he failed to declare and he started the party a few days later indicating he was paid to start the party. It came out when Crypto guy gave an interview and mentioned it not realising the consequences. The party leader first claimed it was for security. Then it was determined he had bought property with…

I wonder why all the libertarian freedom loving crypto guys keep backing fascists

Christopher Harborne - not just a libertarian freedom loving crypto guy, but also the largest single shareholder of QinetiQ, a pretty notable UK Defence company.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#26

Post by knorker »

BiraIgnacio wrote: post #6

Is this a little or a lot? any idea how that compares to other industries and donors?

When it's from an industry consisting 100% of organized crime and negative-sum grifting, it's a lot.

I'd read a donation with "from the oil industry" and "from The Organization Of Stealing All Copper from Public Spaces" as different types of "bad", even if I'd prefer that the oil industry also not buy politicians.

For the avoidance of doubt, blockchain people are the copper thieves.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#27

Post by ratelimitsteve »

paulpauper wrote: post #7

As far as the US is concerned, given how badly bitcoin has done since Trump was inaugurated, the worst performing asset class by far, I would say the ROI has been pretty bad. Industries and sectors that donated nothing still got bailouts and other initiatives, such as AI, quantum, metals, and semiconductors. Noting for crypto donors. No bailouts, or even mentions on twitter. Politicians can take money but they don't…

I mean, anyone can fail to deliver their end of any agreement. They may have learned a harsh lesson about bargaining with Trump, but that doesn't mean that it was dumb to pursue the deal as negotiated or would be dumb to pursue a similar deal with someone who might actually follow through on it.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#28

Post by knorker »

paulpauper wrote: post #7

As far as the US is concerned, given how badly bitcoin has done since Trump was inaugurated, the worst performing asset class by far, I would say the ROI has been pretty bad. Industries and sectors that donated nothing still got bailouts and other initiatives, such as AI, quantum, metals, and semiconductors. Noting for crypto donors. No bailouts, or even mentions on twitter. Politicians can take money but they don't…

The bitcoin people bought a pardon for their hero, one of the biggest facilitators of drug smuggling in the world, and someone who personally paid money to have people killed. Including explicitly saying to indiscriminately kill whatever unrelated bystander happens to be there.

That was a stated goal for them, and they got what they paid for. So good ROI on that.

They've gotten PAAAAH-LENTY for their money.

Did they get their pet asset to go up in price? No. But they managed to buy "crime is legal now". The shitcoin rugpull industry is making BANK, and the DOJ has been paid off to look the other way.

Investigations have been shut down, and mobsters have been freed. They are not the losers. Society is.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#29

Post by righthand »

paulpauper wrote: post #7

As far as the US is concerned, given how badly bitcoin has done since Trump was inaugurated, the worst performing asset class by far, I would say the ROI has been pretty bad. Industries and sectors that donated nothing still got bailouts and other initiatives, such as AI, quantum, metals, and semiconductors. Noting for crypto donors. No bailouts, or even mentions on twitter. Politicians can take money but they don't…

They got Ross Ulbricht out of jail and a few cryptocurrency scammers out too. That’s all the cryptobros wanted was pretty much nothing but symbolism.

Re: Crypto firms have spent $189M so far on 2026 US election, report says

#30

Post by nixosbestos »

khurs wrote: post #3

A UK party rising up the charts is caught up in a scandal - crypto guy gave the party leader (personally) £5m which he failed to declare and he started the party a few days later indicating he was paid to start the party. It came out when Crypto guy gave an interview and mentioned it not realising the consequences. The party leader first claimed it was for security. Then it was determined he had bought property with…

Nice - one don't even have to click the URL to know what POS is involved.
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