Crypto4Harris
Crypto4Harris held its first virtual town hall Wednesday night, with top Democratic leaders in attendance, as well as some crypto advocates such as Mark Cuban. Crypto4Harris Twitter

KEY POINTS

  • Harris skipped the virtual town hall, but Schumer, a top Democratic leader, did speak at the event
  • Bitcoiner Wayne Vaughan said the Zoom town hall was nothing to show that Democrats cared about crypto
  • Trader Patrick Hubbard said he was 'very disappointed' that Bitcoin was painted in an 'adversarial way'

With some three months left before the November elections, Vice President Kamala Harris has not yet come out to publicly express her views on digital assets, and she didn't attend the Crypto4Harris virtual town hall that many crypto users said was a "letdown."

Crypto4Harris hype

Ahead of the Wednesday Zoom town hall, the Crypto4Harris organization built up the hype, presenting a list of speakers that included two prominent figures in the crypto space: Mark Cuban and Anthony Scaramucci.

Many crypto users expected big things during the meeting, and there were expectations that somehow, the Democratic presidential nominee would make an appearance.

Attendees disappointed

Following the town hall's conclusion, journalist Eleanor Terrett asked crypto users on X who attended the virtual event to share their thoughts. Many expressed disappointment over what went down at the town hall.

Custodia Bank founder and CEO Caitlin Long said she was hoping to hear about the current vice president's plans regarding crypto policies but understands "that's still to come."

Entrepreneur and Bitcoiner Wayne Vaughan said the event "was a total letdown." He revealed that billionaire Cuban and Scaramucci, both known to be crypto advocates, "barely made an appearance." He added that "there was zero substance to show that Democrats care about crypto."

Crypto trader Patrick Hubbard said he was "very disappointed" that "Bitcoin was barely mentioned." When it was included in the conversation, he deemed it was "portrayed in an adversarial way."

One crypto user said there was a "complete lack of specifics" from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The said user called out the veteran lawmaker for not acknowledging "any problems caused by the SEC."

Schumer did say he wants to encourage bipartisan support for a "sensible legislation that helps the United States maintain its status as the most innovative country in the world." He also said that "we all believe in the future of crypto."

Calls for action over words

As many more crypto users shared either the same feelings of disappointment or frustration over Harris' non-appearance, some focused on urging the Democratic Party and Harris herself to take action ahead of the elections.

Zero Knowledge founder Austin Campbell acknowledged that Schumer's appearance was a "signal" that there are indeed pro-crypto Democrats. However, he noted that the key to gaining crypto voters' trust is for "Harris to articulate her position and actions she will take on this issue."

Well-followed @R89Capital said the discussions during the town hall were "all empty words," adding that the industry needs to see "favorable action" at this point.

Another user said he will "not trust Democrats on crypto/Bitcoin policy" unless Harris speaks up about the matter and follows up her words with action.

Layer 1 utility investor HASHR Ventures noted the "seemingly sincere effort" displayed by some Democrats on crypto. "Let's call it a first step. But it was short on details," he said.

Can Harris bridge the gap soon?

Democratic leaders who recently expressed support for crypto, such as Rep. Wiley Nickel of North Carolina, have said Harris seeks a "reset" with the burgeoning industry. However, there is lingering doubt about whether the Democratic presidential candidate is actually interested in working things out with the sector.

Last week, it was reported that a roundtable with crypto executives and some White House officials turned "heated" at one point. Crypto leaders aired their "grievances" and discussed possible use cases and policy outcomes.

Despite concerns about a Harris government possibly being as "hostile" as its predecessor, it appears some crypto voters are betting on potential change under a new leader. On decentralized crypto betting platform Polymarket, where Harris took the lead from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump last weekend, the Democratic leader has widened the gap further to nine percentage points as of early Thursday.

Crypto4Harris organizers said they will make announcements again soon, but it is unclear whether they will host another town hall amid negative comments from crypto users.

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