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The survey found that only 13% of Americans stated that candidates' support for emerging technologies such as encryption and DeFi is “very important.”
The broader appeal of keeping fintech builders in the United States received the highest score, at 35%. Among them, Republicans led Democrats with a ratio of 45% to 30%.
According to Reuters' review, the crypto industry has spent approximately $176 million in over 100 mid-term elections this round.
The crypto industry is investing heavily in next week's midterms, but voters do not consider it a top priority.
According to a survey conducted on behalf of the Crypto Policy Initiative organization DeFi Education Fund by Ipsos, only 13% of Americans believe that political candidates' support for the development of emerging financial technologies such as blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and decentralized finance is "extremely important" or "very important".
A broader expression is considered better. Approximately 35% of respondents stated that it is "very important" for candidates to ensure that the next generation of fintech builders can work in the United States, which is also the highest-ranked policy stance in this survey. Another 26% share the same view in supporting new rules that allow innovation within the financial system.
DeFi Education Fund describes the survey results as "bipartisan support for American innovation," while on more narrow crypto-related issues, there are very small partisan differences: 15% of Republicans and 13% of Democrats consider it to be very important. However, on the top-ranked item, Republicans lead Democrats with 45% to 30%.
This survey was conducted from September 8th to 16th among 1,545 adults through the KnowledgePanel of Ipsos. The KnowledgePanel is a probability sample panel used by the Federal Reserve in household financial surveys. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points. Party affiliation includes independent individuals with a tendency towards a particular party.
Industry spending, however, tells a different story. According to Reuters' review, crypto groups have spent approximately $176 million in more than 100 mid-term elections this round, with Super Political Action Committees Fairshake and their affiliated organizations having spent a total of about $150.8 million as of October 20th.
An affiliated organization of Fairshake has disclosed that during the Ohio Senate campaign, it spent over $46 million targeting the former senator Sherrod Brown.
In the eyes of the industry, the risks are high. Previously, the Clear Act could have established federal regulations for the crypto market, but it failed to pass in a key Senate vote in September due to disputes over the moral provisions that covered the crypto interests of U.S. President Donald Trump. Since then, the industry has turned to regulatory bodies such as SEC and CFTC to establish rules.
The survey shows that voters are more concerned about security and control than about encryption itself. Approximately 63% of people stated that the financial system needs to be upgraded to address threats such as artificial intelligence and cybercrime; 49% of people believe that the government should not decide which products they can invest in.
