⚯ Michel de Cryptadamus ⚯
@cryptadamist@universeodon.com replied  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago
@molly0xfff i know i'm just a smooth brained crypto sceptic but investing any amount of money in #CryptoCom's bullshit #CRO token and a blockchain that literally no one uses (not even money launderers use #Cronos!) strikes me as completely unhinged.

they want to put more cash into their #CRO treasury than any "digital asset treasury" company other than MSTR w/the bitcoins.

wtf?

https://x.com/Cryptadamist/status/1960723981960667296
Mark Reid
@mdreid@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago
@molly0xfff I know that you understand this all very well already but just cannot get my head around just how little sense their proposal makes.

The only real value of a blockchain is to create shared consensus in a distributed system in the absence of a trusted authority. When it comes to publishing GDP statistics, a) who else is or wants to publish or edit those stats? and b) isn’t the US government supposed to be the trusted authority here?

🫠
Molly White
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io replied  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago

The at least nominally non-partisan Fairshake will have more company than last election cycle, with some powerful crypto executives opting to back explicitly pro-Trump crypto PACs.

And a coalition of crypto companies including Coinbase, Kraken, DCG, and others are teaming up to back an "educational non-profit" to "educate" legislators about crypto.

#crypto #cryptocurrency#USpol#USpolitics

The crypto industry has also launched a 501(c)(3) “educational non-profit” called the American Innovation Project, which will focus on “educating” policymakers. Although such groups must by law be cautious about engaging in only minimal lobbying activities, focusing on non-advocacy educational initiatives, I am not confident this will be carefully followed or policed. The group is backed by crypto companies including Coinbase, Kraken, DCG, and others, and funded by DCG and the Cedar Innovation Foundation crypto dark money group.39
The crypto industry has also launched a 501(c)(3) “educational non-profit” called the American Innovation Project, which will focus on “educating” policymakers. Although such groups must by law be cautious about engaging in only minimal lobbying activities, focusing on non-advocacy educational initiatives, I am not confident this will be carefully followed or policed. The group is backed by crypto companies including Coinbase, Kraken, DCG, and others, and funded by DCG and the Cedar Innovation Foundation crypto dark money group.39
The crypto industry has also launched a 501(c)(3) “educational non-profit” called the American Innovation Project, which will focus on “educating” policymakers. Although such groups must by law be cautious about engaging in only minimal lobbying activities, focusing on non-advocacy educational initiatives, I am not confident this will be carefully followed or policed. The group is backed by crypto companies including Coinbase, Kraken, DCG, and others, and funded by DCG and the Cedar Innovation Foundation crypto dark money group.39
Fairshake will have more company than last election cycle. While in 2024 Fairshake operated alongside the Democrat-focused Protect Progress and Republican-focused Defend American Jobs — with all three PACs essentially functioning as coordinated arms of the same operation — a new set of crypto PACs have sprung up, including: Digital Freedom Fund (super PAC): Rejecting Fairshake’s strategy of claimed nonpartisanship, this PAC explicitly supports Republicans who will “help realize President Trump’s vision of making America the crypto capital of the world”. The newly formed committee has not yet filed any fundraising disclosures, but the Winklevoss twins announced a $21 million contribution.37 First Principles Digital (hybrid PAC): This PAC describes itself as a “Republican-led, Republican-focused organization working to elect pro-crypto leaders to Congress”. It’s affiliated with Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and has raised $1 million this year so far (entirely from the Winklevoss twins, except for a $5,000 contribution from Trump crypto adviser David Bailey [I90, 84]). First Principles shares leadership with America First Digital, a new dark money group that aims to “help advance pro-crypto policies and regulations, amplify the efforts of industry champions in Washington, and support ongoing education efforts among key decision-makers.”38
Fairshake will have more company than last election cycle. While in 2024 Fairshake operated alongside the Democrat-focused Protect Progress and Republican-focused Defend American Jobs — with all three PACs essentially functioning as coordinated arms of the same operation — a new set of crypto PACs have sprung up, including: Digital Freedom Fund (super PAC): Rejecting Fairshake’s strategy of claimed nonpartisanship, this PAC explicitly supports Republicans who will “help realize President Trump’s vision of making America the crypto capital of the world”. The newly formed committee has not yet filed any fundraising disclosures, but the Winklevoss twins announced a $21 million contribution.37 First Principles Digital (hybrid PAC): This PAC describes itself as a “Republican-led, Republican-focused organization working to elect pro-crypto leaders to Congress”. It’s affiliated with Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and has raised $1 million this year so far (entirely from the Winklevoss twins, except for a $5,000 contribution from Trump crypto adviser David Bailey [I90, 84]). First Principles shares leadership with America First Digital, a new dark money group that aims to “help advance pro-crypto policies and regulations, amplify the efforts of industry champions in Washington, and support ongoing education efforts among key decision-makers.”38
Fairshake will have more company than last election cycle. While in 2024 Fairshake operated alongside the Democrat-focused Protect Progress and Republican-focused Defend American Jobs — with all three PACs essentially functioning as coordinated arms of the same operation — a new set of crypto PACs have sprung up, including: Digital Freedom Fund (super PAC): Rejecting Fairshake’s strategy of claimed nonpartisanship, this PAC explicitly supports Republicans who will “help realize President Trump’s vision of making America the crypto capital of the world”. The newly formed committee has not yet filed any fundraising disclosures, but the Winklevoss twins announced a $21 million contribution.37 First Principles Digital (hybrid PAC): This PAC describes itself as a “Republican-led, Republican-focused organization working to elect pro-crypto leaders to Congress”. It’s affiliated with Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and has raised $1 million this year so far (entirely from the Winklevoss twins, except for a $5,000 contribution from Trump crypto adviser David Bailey [I90, 84]). First Principles shares leadership with America First Digital, a new dark money group that aims to “help advance pro-crypto policies and regulations, amplify the efforts of industry champions in Washington, and support ongoing education efforts among key decision-makers.”38
Molly White
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io replied  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago

Among those excited about the crypto industry’s massive political influence are current, powerful Senators like Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott.

“Thank you, to all of y’all, for getting rid of Sherrod Brown. ... The industry put Bernie Moreno in the Senate.”

#crypto #cryptocurrency#USpol#USpolitics

Interviewer: I'd love to hear from your perspective what changed and specifically Senate banking you guys have such a broad mandate So how did you prioritize digital assets? Tim Scott: I gotta tell you I mean Thank you to all of y'all for getting rid of Sherrod Brown He's running again by the way, but Literally the industry put Bernie Moreno in the Senate and he's on the banking committee So really having the opportunity to have a team That's focusing on the industry because we have passion For people who want to make a profit and help people this industry does it better than anything I've seen in my adult lifetime
Interviewer: I'd love to hear from your perspective what changed and specifically Senate banking you guys have such a broad mandate So how did you prioritize digital assets? Tim Scott: I gotta tell you I mean Thank you to all of y'all for getting rid of Sherrod Brown He's running again by the way, but Literally the industry put Bernie Moreno in the Senate and he's on the banking committee So really having the opportunity to have a team That's focusing on the industry because we have passion For people who want to make a profit and help people this industry does it better than anything I've seen in my adult lifetime
Molly White
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io replied  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago

Political fundraising is ramping up for the midterms, and the pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake is number one on the list of super PACs by cash raised in the 2025–2026 cycle.

#crypto #cryptocurrency#USpol#USpolitics

Political action and party committees Viewing 1,399 filtered results for: 2025–2026Super PAC (independent expenditure only) Name Type Receipts Disbursements Ending cash on hand FAIRSHAKE Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $59,056,790.44 $3,800,671.85 $119,500,316.53 DEMOCRACY PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $52,029,116.25 $2,647,275.44 $53,120,780.28 AMERICA PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $45,341,344.67 $47,398,032.68 $165,960.38 SENATE LEADERSHIP FUND Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $26,475,632.45 $2,807,526.22 $29,750,782.85 SMP Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $17,362,935.92 $12,898,516.02 $13,635,089.11 V-PAC: VICTORS, NOT VICTIMS Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $16,971,139.41 $4,391,775.03 $12,696,180.56 UNITED DEMOCRACY PROJECT ('UDP') Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $14,509,998.44 $4,594,753.92 $38,718,139.62 TEXANS FOR A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $11,248,318.04 $429,741.76 $12,168,534.86 SCHOOL FREEDOM FUND Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $10,000,000.00 $0.00 $10,128,286.22 RESTORATION PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $8,123,576.61 $5,324,298.83 $4,214,869.99
Political action and party committees Viewing 1,399 filtered results for: 2025–2026Super PAC (independent expenditure only) Name Type Receipts Disbursements Ending cash on hand FAIRSHAKE Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $59,056,790.44 $3,800,671.85 $119,500,316.53 DEMOCRACY PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $52,029,116.25 $2,647,275.44 $53,120,780.28 AMERICA PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $45,341,344.67 $47,398,032.68 $165,960.38 SENATE LEADERSHIP FUND Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $26,475,632.45 $2,807,526.22 $29,750,782.85 SMP Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $17,362,935.92 $12,898,516.02 $13,635,089.11 V-PAC: VICTORS, NOT VICTIMS Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $16,971,139.41 $4,391,775.03 $12,696,180.56 UNITED DEMOCRACY PROJECT ('UDP') Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $14,509,998.44 $4,594,753.92 $38,718,139.62 TEXANS FOR A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $11,248,318.04 $429,741.76 $12,168,534.86 SCHOOL FREEDOM FUND Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $10,000,000.00 $0.00 $10,128,286.22 RESTORATION PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $8,123,576.61 $5,324,298.83 $4,214,869.99
Political action and party committees Viewing 1,399 filtered results for: 2025–2026Super PAC (independent expenditure only) Name Type Receipts Disbursements Ending cash on hand FAIRSHAKE Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $59,056,790.44 $3,800,671.85 $119,500,316.53 DEMOCRACY PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $52,029,116.25 $2,647,275.44 $53,120,780.28 AMERICA PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $45,341,344.67 $47,398,032.68 $165,960.38 SENATE LEADERSHIP FUND Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $26,475,632.45 $2,807,526.22 $29,750,782.85 SMP Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $17,362,935.92 $12,898,516.02 $13,635,089.11 V-PAC: VICTORS, NOT VICTIMS Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $16,971,139.41 $4,391,775.03 $12,696,180.56 UNITED DEMOCRACY PROJECT ('UDP') Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $14,509,998.44 $4,594,753.92 $38,718,139.62 TEXANS FOR A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $11,248,318.04 $429,741.76 $12,168,534.86 SCHOOL FREEDOM FUND Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $10,000,000.00 $0.00 $10,128,286.22 RESTORATION PAC Super PAC (Independent Expenditure-Only) $8,123,576.61 $5,324,298.83 $4,214,869.99
Political fundraising is ramping up for the midterms, and the pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake is number one on the list of super PACs by cash raised in the 2025–2026 cycle. They’ve received about $59 million so far, and have almost $120 million in cash on hand.h This puts them ahead of all other super PACs,i including George Soros’ Democracy PAC, Elon Musk’s America PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, and the Senate Majority PAC.33 Most of Fairshake’s contributions this period are from Coinbase ($25 million) and Ripple ($23 million).34
Political fundraising is ramping up for the midterms, and the pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake is number one on the list of super PACs by cash raised in the 2025–2026 cycle. They’ve received about $59 million so far, and have almost $120 million in cash on hand.h This puts them ahead of all other super PACs,i including George Soros’ Democracy PAC, Elon Musk’s America PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, and the Senate Majority PAC.33 Most of Fairshake’s contributions this period are from Coinbase ($25 million) and Ripple ($23 million).34
Political fundraising is ramping up for the midterms, and the pro-crypto super PAC Fairshake is number one on the list of super PACs by cash raised in the 2025–2026 cycle. They’ve received about $59 million so far, and have almost $120 million in cash on hand.h This puts them ahead of all other super PACs,i including George Soros’ Democracy PAC, Elon Musk’s America PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, and the Senate Majority PAC.33 Most of Fairshake’s contributions this period are from Coinbase ($25 million) and Ripple ($23 million).34
crazyeddie
@crazyeddie@mastodon.social replied  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago
@molly0xfff Where does Tether fit in this?

I know they're in El Salvador doing stuff. I know they're coming back to the US now that Trump is back and fraud investigations have stopped. I know they want to at least add USDT as an alternative to USDC.

I have a feeling they're in El Salvador because they're trying to implement Yarvin's ideas of bringing back the City States, which would be largely implemented by crypto governance.

How in with Trump are they and where would they be in this map?
Molly White
@molly0xfff@hachyderm.io replied  ·  activity timestamp 4 days ago

Bloomberg published a great story about a plan by Tether co-founder and some other guy to pitch bitcoin fugitive Roger Ver on paying $30 million for a pardon. It didn't work out, and Ver is apparently paying (much less) for Roger Stone instead.

(Bloomberg article: bloomberg.com/news/articles/20)

Ver seems to have opted for more reliable lobbyists like Roger Stone, who I certainly can’t argue lacks experience with presidential pardons. (Stone is, if nothing else, substantially cheaper than Argall, charging a mere $600,000 to lobby for “ending the exit tax and reform of cryptocurrency tax policy”. Ver has also paid $30,000 for lobbying by Sterling Green’s Tracy Ackerman on the same subject, as well as “supporting the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda” and “criminal justice reform for cryptocurrency related law enforcement and lobbying for the dismissal of charges against Roger Ver.”).2829
Ver seems to have opted for more reliable lobbyists like Roger Stone, who I certainly can’t argue lacks experience with presidential pardons. (Stone is, if nothing else, substantially cheaper than Argall, charging a mere $600,000 to lobby for “ending the exit tax and reform of cryptocurrency tax policy”. Ver has also paid $30,000 for lobbying by Sterling Green’s Tracy Ackerman on the same subject, as well as “supporting the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda” and “criminal justice reform for cryptocurrency related law enforcement and lobbying for the dismissal of charges against Roger Ver.”).2829
Ver seems to have opted for more reliable lobbyists like Roger Stone, who I certainly can’t argue lacks experience with presidential pardons. (Stone is, if nothing else, substantially cheaper than Argall, charging a mere $600,000 to lobby for “ending the exit tax and reform of cryptocurrency tax policy”. Ver has also paid $30,000 for lobbying by Sterling Green’s Tracy Ackerman on the same subject, as well as “supporting the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda” and “criminal justice reform for cryptocurrency related law enforcement and lobbying for the dismissal of charges against Roger Ver.”).2829
Bloomberg reported a plan by bitcoin fugitive Roger Ver to pay $30 million in hopes of securing a pardon from President Trump. Ver was charged with tax fraud in April 2024 after allegedly evading around $50 million in expatriation taxes owed after renouncing his US citizenship, and is currently fighting extradition from Spain [I57]. According to Bloomberg, Tether co-founder (and former Mighty Ducks child actor) Brock Pierce schemed with Matt Argall to pitch a plan for Ver’s pardon in exchange for a hefty fee. “It’s unclear whether Argall and his associates had genuine connections to people with power, much less the clout to persuade them that Ver’s pardon was a worthy cause,” writes Bloomberg, noting that, aside from a LinkedIn picture of him at a campaign event with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Argall doesn’t “appear to have any clear connections to Trump’s inner circle”. Although Ver may have been interested in the offer early on, one of his lawyers may have warned him off, opining that the claims of high-level connections seemed false.27
Bloomberg reported a plan by bitcoin fugitive Roger Ver to pay $30 million in hopes of securing a pardon from President Trump. Ver was charged with tax fraud in April 2024 after allegedly evading around $50 million in expatriation taxes owed after renouncing his US citizenship, and is currently fighting extradition from Spain [I57]. According to Bloomberg, Tether co-founder (and former Mighty Ducks child actor) Brock Pierce schemed with Matt Argall to pitch a plan for Ver’s pardon in exchange for a hefty fee. “It’s unclear whether Argall and his associates had genuine connections to people with power, much less the clout to persuade them that Ver’s pardon was a worthy cause,” writes Bloomberg, noting that, aside from a LinkedIn picture of him at a campaign event with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Argall doesn’t “appear to have any clear connections to Trump’s inner circle”. Although Ver may have been interested in the offer early on, one of his lawyers may have warned him off, opining that the claims of high-level connections seemed false.27
Bloomberg reported a plan by bitcoin fugitive Roger Ver to pay $30 million in hopes of securing a pardon from President Trump. Ver was charged with tax fraud in April 2024 after allegedly evading around $50 million in expatriation taxes owed after renouncing his US citizenship, and is currently fighting extradition from Spain [I57]. According to Bloomberg, Tether co-founder (and former Mighty Ducks child actor) Brock Pierce schemed with Matt Argall to pitch a plan for Ver’s pardon in exchange for a hefty fee. “It’s unclear whether Argall and his associates had genuine connections to people with power, much less the clout to persuade them that Ver’s pardon was a worthy cause,” writes Bloomberg, noting that, aside from a LinkedIn picture of him at a campaign event with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Argall doesn’t “appear to have any clear connections to Trump’s inner circle”. Although Ver may have been interested in the offer early on, one of his lawyers may have warned him off, opining that the claims of high-level connections seemed false.27