Gemini co-founder Tyler Winklevoss expressed skepticism about Vice President Kamala Harris’ commitment to supporting Bitcoin and the crypto industry following reports that she may speak at the upcoming Bitcoin2024 conference in Nashville.
The comments come after Bitcoin Magazine CEO David Bailey revealed ongoing discussions with Harris’ campaign about her speech at the conference. He further stated:
“It would be very smart of her to reset the Democratic positioning on the fastest growing voter bloc in the country. They will make a decision today.”
Running on crypto?
Media reports have also revealed that Harris’ advisers have contacted billionaire Mark Cuban with questions about crypto policy. Cuban told Politico that business leaders are excited by the prospect that Harris could be a stronger advocate for emerging technology sectors than her predecessor.
He added:
“The feedback I’m getting, but certainly not confirmed by the VP, is that she will be much more open to business. [artificial intelligence]crypto and government as a service.”
However, Winklevoss believes her actions come too late and she must do more than just speak at the conference, given her incumbent role in government. He said:
“Talking is cheap. She should start by shooting immediately [SEC Chairman] Gary Gensler, withdrawing all SEC enforcement actions against good actors and ending Operation Chokepoint 2.0. She won’t do this so she has no chance of winning back the crypto voting bloc. Time for change.”
The developments come less than 48 hours after Harris’ campaign for president, which launched after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election and endorsed Harris in his place.
The move has intensified scrutiny over her policies and public engagement, with many wondering whether she will maintain the strict stance on digital assets or adopt a new approach amid growing interest from voters.
The Digital Chamber recently called on her to take a more progressive stance toward the industry and take immediate steps to change negative public perception among crypto voters, who are a key constituency for Democrats.
Trump’s pro-crypto stance
Former President Donald Trump will also speak at the Bitcoin2024 conference, marking a notable push to draw support from the crypto community. There are unconfirmed rumors that he will propose making Bitcoin a strategic reserve for the US during the event, which has caused a lot of excitement in the community.
Trump has expressed strong support for digital assets in recent weeks, becoming the first presidential candidate to accept donations in Bitcoin. He has also promised to create a friendlier regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies, which is in stark contrast to the current administration’s perceived regulatory uncertainty.
Trump has gained increasing support among industry leaders following his supportive public statements. Household names including the Winklevoss twins, Cathie Wood and Elon Musk have all backed him due to the belief that his policies will be more beneficial to the sector following the challenges Biden faced.