U.S.VicePresidentKamalaHarrishaspledgedtosupportdigitalassetpoliciesthatprotectcryptoinvestors,especiallyblackmenparticipatinginthesector. Thepromisewaspartofawide-rangingagendatargetingmenofcolorwhomtheDemocraticflagbearer’steambelievescouldbepivotalintheNovemberpresidentialelections. SecuringBlackMaleVotersviaCrypto InanOctober14release,theHarriscampaignpromisedtheircandidatewouldcreateaconducivecryptoregulatoryframeworktoprotect“blackmenandothers”whoparticipateinthemarket. Harrispointedoutthat20%ofblackpeopleintheUnitedStatesownorhavepreviouslypossessedcryptoassets.Shealsoacknowledgedtherolethese“newtechnologies”wereplayinginbroadeningtheiraccesstoaffordablebankingandfinancialservices,somethingsheadmittedtheyhadbeendeniedinthepast. However,theteamprovidednofurtherdetailsastowhatpreciselytheregulatoryframeworkbeingadvocatedwouldentail. Thecandidate,wholaterspokeataneventinErie,Pennsylvania,alsodidnotelaborateontheplan.Asnotedbyobservers,theVPevenfailedtomentiontermsassociatedwiththecryptoindustry,suchas“blockchain”or“digitalassets,”inherspeech. Onecritic,BitcoinMagazine’sNikolausHoffman,calledHarris“theworstcandidateforBitcoin,”describingherlatestpledgeas“race-based.” ThescribecomparedherapproachtoDonaldTrump’s,whichhejudgedasbeing“muchbetter,”giventhattheformerpresidenthadactuallygivenspecificdetailsaboutwhatheintendstodoforcrypto. Trump’sPro-CryptoStanceGainsMomentum TheHarristeamitselfhadnokindwordsforTrump,claiminghehad“repeatedlyshownopencontemptforblackAmericansandblackmen.”However,theRepublicancandidate,whorecentlydeclaredhimselfthe“CryptoPresident,”hasmadealotofheadwaywithinthecommunity. Afteryearsofdiscreditingvirtualassets,Trumphadanapparentchangeofheartinthiselectioncycle.Heembracedtheindustryfull-heartedlyandmadewholesalepromisesofputtinginplacefriendlierregulatorsaswellascreatingaBitcoinadvisorycouncilifhewonthepresidentialrace. Onlylastmonth,TrumpmadeheadlineswhenhevisitedPubKey,aNewYorkbarthatacceptscrypto,andboughtburgers. The78-year-oldseemstobetyinghimselfevenmoretightlywiththedigitalassetssectorafterhisfamilyfrontedanewdecentralizedfinance(DeFi)projectdubbedWorldLibertyFinancial(WLF).TheprojectisduetostartsellingitsnativeWLFItokenasitlookstoraise$300million. Harris,onherpart,hashadtoshakeofftheanti-cryptotagthatcamewithherbeingpartoftheBidenadministration. Theadministration’sfaceattheSecuritiesandExchangeCommission(SEC),GaryGensler,hasbecomehugelyunpopularincryptocirclesforwhatsomeperceiveasregulatoryoverreachinhispolicingoftheindustry. cryptopotato.com