Elections news
US election agency approves use of NFTs as campaign fundraising incentive
The United States Federal Election Commission (FEC) has issued an advisory opinion stating DataVault Holdings may use nonfungible tokens for fundraising efforts. In a Dec. 15 notice, the FEC said it was “permissible” for DataVault holdings to send nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, to political campaign contributors without violating rules on corporate contributions. According to the election agency, DataVault will receive “reasonable compensation” for each NFT issued to contributors, as well as track all tokens issued for its own records. “The Commission concludes that DataVault’s proposals to provide political committees with NFTs on the same terms that it regularly offers its …
Nft / Dec. 23, 2022
SBF prosecutors reportedly dig into donations made to top US Democrats
The prosecutors investigating former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) have reportedly reached out to top members of the Democratic Party demanding information about the political donations made by the entrepreneur. Democratic members from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries were contacted by SBF prosecutors for information to aid their ongoing investigations, according to a New York Times report. The United States attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York sent an email to the Democratic Party elections lawyer Marc Elias, asking for details on donations made by SBF. Similar emails …
Regulation / Dec. 18, 2022
Elon Musk alleges SBF donated over $1B to Democrats: "Where did it go?"
The attempts of mainstream media to water down the frauds committed by FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) did not fare well in convincing the crypto community and entrepreneurs. Instead, the misinformation campaign collided with Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s drive to position Twitter as "the most accurate source of information." The world is yet to overcome the shock after witnessing the legal leniency awarded to SBF for misappropriating users’ funds and shady investment practices via trading firms Alameda Research and FTX. Will Manidis, the CEO of ScienceIO, a healthcare data platform, pointed out that SBF made the “highest ROI trade of …
Regulation / Dec. 4, 2022
Election tally: Does blockchain beat the ballot box?
In October, Greenland was reported to be exploring the feasibility of an online voting platform for its national elections. Among the options being considered is a blockchain-based system. That isn’t entirely surprising. Electronic voting, or e-voting, has long been viewed as a promising use case for blockchain technology. “It’s time for online voting,” wrote Alex Tapscott in a New York Times opinion piece in 2018. “Using blockchain technology, online voting could boost voter participation and help restore the public’s trust in the electoral process and democracy.” It seems especially timely now as large swaths of the world’s population are raising …
Adoption / Nov. 21, 2022
Law Decoded, Nov. 7–14: How regulators reacted to the FTX crash
Last week was tough — the alarming series of crypto meltdowns continued with the failure of FTX, one of the biggest exchanges on the market. The crypto industry’s very own “Lehman Brothers moment” pushed regulators to react. United States Senator Cynthia Lummis, famous for her openly pro-crypto position, promised deliberate with her colleagues on whether there was market manipulation, while Maxine Waters, chair of the United States House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, pushed for additional federal oversight of crypto trading platforms and consumer protection. European Parliament economics committee member Stefan Berger has compared the current situation with FTX to …
Regulation / Nov. 15, 2022
Post-election roundup: Who were the pro- and anti-crypto winners and losers from the US Midterms?
Results from many election races for seats in the United States Senate and House of Representatives are still coming in, but a number of candidates who have expressed staunch views on digital asset regulation won on Nov. 8. Some of crypto’s most outspoken supporters at the local and federal level, including Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, had no elections in November 2022, but others defended challenges to congressional seats with both narrow and wide margin victories. Pro-crypto House incumbents including Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer and North Carolina Minnesota Representative Patrick McHenry won re-election, as did crypto …
Regulation / Nov. 9, 2022
Single-issue crypto voters weigh in on midterms before US Election Day
On Nov. 8, registered voters across the United States will cast ballots for political candidates to represent them at the local, state, and federal level — and for some people, crypto is the main issue. Voters took to social media amid early voting in certain U.S. states and ahead of Election Day to proclaim that despite many of the issues driving people to the polls — including ensuring free and fair elections, gun control, and abortion — digital assets were at the forefront of their decision-making process. President Joe Biden's term doesn't end until January 2025, but the future majority …
Regulation / Nov. 8, 2022
Here’s what you should know about the upcoming US midterms: Law Decoded, Oct. 31–Nov. 7
The United States will go to the voting booths on Nov. 8 to decide the fate of all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 34 out of the 100 Senate seats. The outcome will decide the prevailing power balance in Washington and has the potential to affect the crypto industry. Perhaps that’s why 38% of eligible voters will consider candidates’ positions on crypto, according to a recent survey. Another survey suggests that crypto regulation is a bipartisan issue, with 87% of Democratic and 76% of Republican respondents saying they want clarity from the U.S. government on digital assets. …
Regulation / Nov. 7, 2022
SBF has been a 'significant donor' in US midterm elections
Crypto billionaire and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried have admitted to being a "significant donor" to both sides of the political spectrum ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Days ahead of the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 8, SBF told his Twitter followers that he has given contributions to electoral campaigns on both sides of the fence. The crypto billionaire said that he has been “supporting constructive candidates across the aisle to prevent pandemics and bring a bipartisan climate to DC,” as well as “working with them to support permissionless finance.” SBF added that working with FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan …
Adoption / Nov. 7, 2022
US Election update: Where do the pro-crypto candidates stand ahead of the election?
The 2022 midterm elections will be held in the United States on Nov. 8. Thirty-four senators and all 435 members of the House of Representatives will be running. According to media reports, cryptocurrency lobbyists and political action committees have poured millions of dollars into select campaigns, and extensive polling has shown crypto to be on voters’ minds. Fundraising and polling are normal parts of the American political system, but the numbers associated with crypto may have raised some eyebrows. Sam Bankman-Fried called $1 billion his “soft ceiling” for 2022 election contributions, for example. Even though he backpedaled on some of …
Adoption / Nov. 4, 2022
FTX exec revealed as big donor to Oregon Democrats following misidentification
A senior FTX executive has been revealed as the reported mystery donor behind a massive $500,000 contribution to the Democratic Party of the American state of Oregon. According to local reports, the Oregon Democrats initially told state election officials that the $500,000 donation was from Prime Trust, a crypto-focused fintech in Nevada. However, on Nov. 1, the party director revealed the true source behind the donation was FTX Engineering Director Nishad Singh, who has been the state Democratic Party's fourth largest donor since Nov. 2020. Apparently, there was initial confusion about who was behind the half-a-million-dollar donation. State party executive …
Business / Nov. 2, 2022
38% of US voters will consider candidates' position on crypto in midterms: Survey
Roughly a third of eligible voters in the United States will be “considering crypto policy positions” when choosing candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, according to a new survey. In the results of a 2,029-person survey conducted by The Harris Poll between Oct. 6-11, 57% of likely midterm voters said they would be more likely to vote for a political candidate interested in staying informed about cryptocurrencies, while 38% said they would consider positions on crypto policy when voting in the midterms. The survey, initiated by Grayscale Investments, also suggested crypto regulation was a bipartisan issue, with 87% of Democratic …
Regulation / Nov. 1, 2022