Joe Biden Faces Backlash For Accepting Bitcoin And Crypto Donations

In a surprising move, President Joe Biden is exploring the possibility of accepting crypto donations through Coinbase Commerce. This has sparked a wave of criticism from various corners of the crypto community. Moreover, industry stakeholders urged the crypto community to refrain from supporting Biden’s campaign.

Crypto Community Slams Joe Biden

Joe Carlasare, a commercial litigator known for his support of Bitcoin, took to X to highlight what he sees as a contradiction in the Biden government’s stance. “Biden’s SEC is suing @coinbase in federal court arguing it doesn’t have a right to exist as an exchange. At the same time, the Biden campaign is preparing to accept crypto donations via Coinbase,” Carlasare wrote.

Pro-XRP lawyer John Deaton, who is running against Senator Elizabeth Warren, amplified Carlasare’s concerns. He criticized the discontinuity in Washington DC politics. Deaton wrote, “Joe’s post highlights the utter dysfunction of Washington DC politics. Senator Elizabeth Warren has proposed a bill written by the Banking Industry that bans the self-custody of Bitcoin and other crypto assets.”

He also highlighted the difference in Biden and Gensler’s stance on crypto. Deaton added, “Gary Gensler claims that those same crypto assets constitute illegal securities. But in the meantime, President Joe Biden will accept those illegal securities as political donations,” Deaton stated.

Moreover, Ryan Selkis, CEO of Messari, a crypto analytics firm, expressed his dismay in strong terms. “I will never be able to look at anyone who donates to this campaign using crypto – before ANY concessions or policy reversals – without spitting venom. Would be an act of complete cowardice, betrayal, and show negative self-worth,” Selkis wrote.

Furthermore, Nic Carter, founder of Coin Metrics, detailed a list of grievances against the Biden administration’s handling of crypto. He accused the administration of bullying banks into dropping crypto clients. Moreover, he highlighted the administration’s engagement in legal battles against major exchanges and token projects.

In addition, he slammed them for harassing Bitcoin miners, and driving many high-quality projects abroad. “They have the absolute temerity to think we’re gonna donate crypto to the campaign?” Carter questioned in a furious tone.

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Reports Of Accepting Crypto Donations

Sources close to the Biden campaign revealed that the campaign is in discussions with crypto industry players about accepting crypto donations through Coinbase Commerce. This service allows merchants to accept dozens of cryptocurrencies. Moreover, it is already used by presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump’s campaign for digital currency contributions.

The move is part of the Biden campaign’s efforts to court crypto-focused voters ahead of a tightly contested election. An anonymous source said the campaign is looking to show that it is not anti-crypto. “They’re paying attention to issues around crypto and are trying to find quick wins to show that they’re supportive of the industry,” the source said, according to The Block report.

Additionally, another source indicated that the campaign’s focus on crypto has intensified following backlash for striking down a bipartisan push to repeal SAB 121. The SEC’s SAB 121 is a legislative measure seen as hindering the crypto industry’s growth in the U.S.

Critics argue that this attempt to attract crypto donations is ‘hypocritical’ given the administration’s previous stance on cryptocurrencies. However, the Biden campaign’s engagement with the crypto community appears to be part of a broader strategy to secure every possible vote.

Crypto-backed super PACs have raised significant funds, and their influence is being felt on both sides of the political aisle. According to a report by Public Citizen, citing Open Secrets data, these super PACs have amassed a $100 million war chest.

Despite the backlash, the Biden campaign continues to explore its options. Sources say the discussions about accepting crypto donations are still in the “exploratory” phase. They underscored the importance of this demographic in what is expected to be a closely fought election.

Also Read: Zimbabwe Joins Global Race With New Push Towards Crypto Regulations