Share this article
US Senate Hearing Will Look at Crypto's Impact on Elections
The U.S. policymakers will look into potential risks that digital currencies could pose to the American democracy.
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 8:05 a.m. Published Jun 22, 2018, 5:10 p.m.
The U.S. Senate is looking to assess the impact of cryptocurrencies on American elections.
The Senate's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism will host a hearing titled "Protecting Our Elections: Examining Shell Companies and Virtual Currencies as Avenues for Foreign Interference" on June 26, according to a scheduled posted on the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary's website.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham will oversee the hearing. Other details about the hearing – including a list of witnesses – have yet to be released.
The Federal Election Commission ruled in 2014 that political campaigns and political action committees may accept bitcoin as a donation under existing federal law. The FEC treats cryptocurrency contributions as "in-kind donations" similar to stocks, bonds and other assets, as previously reported by CoinDesk. However, there are strict limits on the amount that can be donated.
It's possible that the hearing will see a debate about donors contributing cryptocurrencies to campaigns in the U.S. Brian Forde, a former senior advisor at the Obama administration who ran for Congress, raised approximately $200,000 through cryptocurrencies, with more than $5,000 from his own wallet, as Politico reported in May.
Perhaps the most high-profile example came amid the 2016 presidential election when U.S. Senator and then-presidential candidate Rand Paul started accepting bitcoin donations.
Congress image via Shutterstock
More For You
L1 tokens broadly underperformed in 2025 despite a backdrop of regulatory and institutional wins. Explore the key trends defining ten major blockchains below.
What to know:
2025 was defined by a stark divergence: structural progress collided with stagnant price action. Institutional milestones were reached and TVL increased across most major ecosystems, yet the majority of large-cap Layer-1 tokens finished the year with negative or flat returns.
This report analyzes the structural decoupling between network usage and token performance. We examine 10 major blockchain ecosystems, exploring protocol versus application revenues, key ecosystem narratives, mechanics driving institutional adoption, and the trends to watch as we head into 2026.
More For You
Altcoins outpace bitcoin as precious metals' historic rally keeps macro focus sharp
Altcoins posted broader gains in quiet Sunday trading as bitcoin held a tight range near $88K and analysts weighed crypto against the surge in precious metals.
What to know:
- XRP, dogecoin and solana outperformed bitcoin and ether over the past 24 hours in thin weekend trading.
- Analysts said bitcoin remains range-bound between roughly $86,500 and $90,000.
- Glassnode flagged spot price sitting near one on-chain mean while remaining well below short-term holders’ cost basis.
Top Stories
