Just 18 US senators “strongly support” crypto

Coinbase advocacy group Stand with Crypto names senators for and against, with more Republicans than Democrats showing support.

According to figures on advocacy group Stand With Crypto’s page, 87% of Americans believe the financial system as a whole is in need of updating and 45% will not back anti-crypto candidates.

Despite this, the vast majority of senators are neutral or against crypto, according to the advocacy group. Among those in favour are three national political figures: Robert Kennedy, Dean Phillips, and Donald Trump, while Joe Biden is against.

“The US sat idly by with semiconductor manufacturing, and now 92% of advanced production is located in Taiwan and South Korea. We can’t let history repeat itself, and must ensure the US isn’t sidelined from the future financial system.”

Stand with Crypto

Cynthia Lummis was the most supportive senator by a long stretch, followed by Ted Cruz and Ted Budd.

In July 2023, Lummis reintroduced “comprehensive legislation to create a regulatory framework”, in the form of Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act.

Senators “strongly supportive” of cryptoPartyStateBillsStatements
Cynthia LummisRepublicanWyoming8184
Ted CruzRepublicanTexas354
Ted BuddRepublicanNorth Carolina825
Bill HagertyRepublicanTennessee238
Kirsten GillibrandDemocratNew York313
John CornynRepublicanTexas08
Tommy TubervilleRepublicanAlabama210
Ron WydenDemocratOregon16
Steve DainesRepublicanMontana15
Marsha BlackburnRepublicanTennessee23
Cory BookerDemocratNew Jersey14
Markwayne MullinRepublicanOklahoma03
Todd YoungRepublicanIndiana31
Kyrsten SinemaDemocratArizona21
Thom TillisRepublicanNorth Carolina12
Make LeeRepublicanUtah03
John BoozmanRepublicanArkansas111
Tim ScottRepublicanSouth Carolina12

Of the 18 senators that stand with crypto, 14 are Republican, while just four Democrats take a pro stance. Some 30 senators are strongly opposed, including Republican Mitt Romney and Independent Bernie Sanders. The majority are neutral or abstained.

Senators listed on standwithcrypto.com. Graphic: standwithcrypto.com

Senator Elizabeth Warren has been one of the most vocal critics of crypto, backing a bill proposing the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act in December 2022.

“Crypto is enabling rogue nations, drug lords, ransomware gangs, and fraudsters to launder billions in stolen funds, evade sanctions, fund illegal weapons programs, and profit from devastating cyberattacks,” Warren said.

She was also highly critical of the SEC’s recent approval of Bitcoin ETFs: “If the SEC is going to let crypto burrow even deeper into our financial system, then it’s more urgent than ever that crypto follow basic anti-money-laundering rules.”

Stand with Crypto compares the evolution of crypto with semiconductor manufacturing: “The US sat idly by with semiconductor manufacturing, and now 92% of advanced production is located in Taiwan and South Korea. We can’t let history repeat itself, and must ensure the US isn’t sidelined from the future financial system.”