Neary65millionAmericanshavealreadycasttheirvotesaheadofnextweek’selection—andtheracebetweenthetwocandidatesistighteningup. Cryptocurrencyhasbeenasignificantissueinthepresidentialrace,withformerpresidentandRepublicannomineeDonaldTrumppivotingfromaskeptictoaself-proclaimedcryptocandidate,whilecurrentVicePresidentKamalaHarris—whotookoverforPresidentJoeBidenastheDemocrats\'pickinJuly—hassignaledanintenttobreakfromtheanti-cryptopoliciesofthecurrentadministrationinwhichsheserves. AtDecrypt,we\'vebeencoveringtheinsandoutsoftheroleofcryptocurrencyinAmericanpoliticsthroughouttheentireelectioncycle.ButwithjustthreedaysleftuntilElectionDay,here\'saprimeronwhereTrumpandHarrisstandoncrypto,andwhatyoumightexpectifeithersecuresthewinnextweek. DonaldTrump Ex-PresidentDonaldTrumphasbeenfarlouderthanHarrisonthetopicofcrypto. Previouslyanti-Bitcoinandskepticalofthecryptospace,thebusinessandrealestatemogulhastakenasharpU-turnonthetopic,comingoutasanadvocatefortheindustryandpickingupamplesupportanddonationsalongtheway. IamnotafanofBitcoinandotherCryptocurrencies,whicharenotmoney,andwhosevalueishighlyvolatileandbasedonthinair.UnregulatedCryptoAssetscanfacilitateunlawfulbehavior,includingdrugtradeandotherillegalactivity.... —DonaldJ.Trump(@realDonaldTrump)July12,2019 Fast-forwardto2024andTrumphasreleasedmultiplesetsofNFTcollectibles,calledfortheAmericanizationofBitcoin,andevenhasbackedadecentralizedfinance(DeFi)projectcalledWorldLibertyFinancialalongsidehissons.WorldLibertyhasn\'tgottenofftoagreatstartwithprospectiveinvestors,thoughsourcestellDecryptthatitplanstoissueastablecoin. LikesomeotherRepublicans,Trumphasrailedagainstcentralbankdigitalcurrencies(CBDCs),ordigitaldollars—effectivelygovernment-backedcryptocurrenciesthatdon’tyetexistintheU.S.,butfrightenthelibertarianwingoftheGOPandlargepartsofthedigitalassetspaceduetofearsofincreasedgovernmentsurveillance. HispromisetohelpBitcoinmining—abigbusinessformerlydominatedbyChina,butnowwithalotofAmericanplayers—perfectlyfitsTrump’sfieryprotectionistbrand.AsdoeshisdesiretofirecryptobogeymanGaryGensler,thecrypto-targetingU.S.SecuritiesandExchangeCommissionchairman. TopexecutivesinthecryptospacehavesincebackedTrumpforhisapparentpassionfortheindustry,oratleasthiswillingnesstopubliclyengagewithanindustrythatmostpoliticianshaveavoided. Ifelectedtoasecondterm,willTrumpliveuptohispromisestoprotectcryptointheU.S.andadvancetheindustry? KamalaHarris DemocraticnomineeKamalaHarriswasinitiallyquietonthetopic,andunlikeTrump,certainlyhasn\'tbeenseentossingburgerstoBitcoinersataBTC-themedNewYorkCitybar. Butcryptoisapartoftheformerattorneygeneral’sagenda. InOctober,Harrissaidshehadplansforthespacewhenapartofher“KamalaHarrisWillDeliverforBlackMen”platformincludedacommitmentforspecificallyfortheAfricanAmericancommunity. Adocumentforthecampaignsaiditwasfor“supportingaregulatoryframeworkforcryptocurrencyandotherdigitalassetssoBlackmenwhoinvestinandowntheseassetsareprotected.” Theframingprovedcontroversial,particularlysinceitwasarguablyhermostspecificcommentstodateaboutcrypto.ButaspokespersonlaterclarifiedthatsuchplanswereintendedforallAmericans,andwouldn\'tbelimitedbyrace. Thatisn’ttheonlyevidencethatthecryptoindustrywillfitintoherpresidentialplans,however.Harrishassaidthatblockchain,AI,andotheremergingtechnologieswillbeinnovateduponinAmerica,andbeforethattolddonorsatafundraisingeventthatshewouldencouragegrowthforthedigitalassetsspaceinthecountry. BillionairebusinessmanandcryptoenthusiastMarkCubanpreviouslytoldDecryptinJulythattheHarriscampaignreachedouttotheformerDallasMavericksownerwithquestionsaboutdigitalassets.HelatersaidtheHarriscampwas“farmoreopen”tothespacethantheBidenadministration—andhe\'snottheonlycryptoheavyweightwho\'soptimisticaboutKamala. EditedbyAndrewHayward decrypt.co