Cuomo: The cryptocurrency industry bets heavily on the Republican Party, distancing itself from the Democratic Party

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated during a panel discussion at the Token2049 conference with OKX CEO Star Xu that if the cryptocurrency industry wants to push for federal-level cryptocurrency legislation, it must maintain a balance between supporting the Democratic and Republican parties. He pointed out that the industry previously "believed that heavy investment in the Republican Party" would help pass the CLARITY Act, but "when you heavily invest in the Republican Party, you inherently alienate the Democratic Party."

According to data tracked by Tech Influence Watch, cryptocurrency-related political action committees have spent $54.3 million supporting the Republican Party and $26.2 million supporting the Democratic Party in the 2026 election cycle, with an additional $23.2 million spent opposing Democratic candidates. Cuomo stated that passing legislation requires support from both the Democratic and Republican parties and should be more balanced. He also refuted the notion that the Democratic Party is inherently opposed to cryptocurrency, arguing that cryptocurrency is actually well-suited for the Democratic Party because it empowers individuals who previously could not access financial products. Prediction market Kalshi data shows that the probability of the Democratic Party winning both houses of Congress is about 61%.

In terms of background, the House of Representatives passed the CLARITY Act in July 2025 with the support of 78 Democratic representatives and 216 Republican representatives, while 134 Democratic representatives voted against it; in June 2025, the Senate passed the GENIUS Act with support from 18 Democratic senators.