Miami – Tether.io head of government affairs Jesse Spiro said the crypto industry sees the 2026 US midterm elections as a critical test of whether Washington’s recent embrace of digital assets will last.
“What we’ve seen is a lot of good immersion and progress over the last year,” Spiro said during a panel discussion at the Consensus Miami 2026 conference, pointing to the passage of the GENIUS Act and progress on market structure legislation. “But as with anything, the apple cart can always be upset.”
Spiro warned that the election could have a “seismic impact” on the industry’s trajectory, even as crypto advocacy groups prepare to deploy heavy political spending and grassroots organizing.
“Crypto should not be biased,” Spiro said. “The best thing is that we have members who support the industry, support the ecosystem, support good policy.”
Other panelists argued that the industry’s political clout will only grow toward November.
Colin McLaren, director of government relations at the Solana Policy Institute, said crypto’s political efforts are now focused on “sustainability,” ensuring the future of Congress continues to advance the industry’s priorities, including tax reform and developer protection.
“You can make the down payment on a house, but you have to keep paying the mortgage,” McLaren said, referring to crypto’s campaign spending efforts after the industry poured hundreds of millions into the 2024 election cycle.
Mason Lynaugh, executive director of Stand With Crypto, said the group’s nearly 3 million members increasingly see elections as “a moment of accountability.”
“They’re going to show up and support the people who supported them,” Lynaugh said, adding that crypto voters are highly motivated and can sway close races. “If something is decided by 4,000 votes, 5,000 votes … all we have to do is knock them out.”
Read more: Crypto is at the bottom of US voters’ priorities heading into the election, CoinDesk survey shows
