Crypto PACs Ramp Up Spending for 2026 Midterm Elections
Crypto industry political action committees have already spent nearly $30 million on 2026 races and hold over $190 million in reserves. Fairshake remains the largest, with new Republican-focused PACs emerging. The efforts aim to support pro-crypto candidates amid ongoing legislative pushes.
gizmodo.comAffiliates Fairshake operates as a nonpartisan PAC but maintains partisan affiliates: Defend American Jobs for Republicans and Protect Progress for Democrats. In 2024, Defend American Jobs spent $40 million supporting Moreno, while Protect Progress backed Democrats Elissa Slotkin in Michigan and Ruben Gallego in Arizona with over $10 million each.
The PACs focus on advertising that rarely mentions crypto directly, instead highlighting other issues to elect favorable candidates. Political science professor Michael Franz noted that such groups prioritize electing allies over promoting their agenda explicitly.
“It's not really about promoting their agenda … it's really just about electing candidates." — Michael Franz, professor of political science at Bowdoin College (The Dispatch). In early 2026, Fairshake affiliates spent in Illinois against Juliana Stratton, who supported state digital asset regulations as lieutenant governor under Gov. JB Pritzker. The group deployed $10.3 million opposing her in the Democratic Senate primary.”
Republican-Focused PACs New PACs are shifting toward partisan support for Republicans. A new PAC founded by the Winklevoss brothers of Gemini in July 2025 was seeded with bitcoin valued at $21 million. It aims to back candidates aligned with President Trump's crypto agenda and pays consulting fees to Advancing Strategies, operated by former Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita.
Another PAC, closely linked to Tether, has spent several million dollars on advertising. It has spent in races.
and Legislative Context Fairshake
