A political group called Fairshake, backed by top crypto companies like Coinbase, Ripple, and Andreessen Horowitz, has raised over $140 million to influence US elections and push for crypto-friendly laws, reports Politico. The latest figures show $52 million raised in the first half of 2025 alone, adding to an already massive war chest.
Fairshake and its two partner PACs (Protect Progress and Defend American Jobs) spent $135 million last year supporting crypto-friendly candidates and targeting opponents. That spending helped unseat key figures like Senate Banking Chair Sherrod Brown, who lost to crypto supporter Bernie Moreno, with over $40 million in backing from the crypto PACs.
Since the 2024 elections, crypto firms have doubled down, raising another $109 million. The money is being used to push lawmakers as the House prepares to vote on major legislation this week. The centerpiece is a Republican-backed bill that would formally split crypto oversight between securities and commodities regulators, an important request from the industry.
Fairshake’s biggest donors, Coinbase, Ripple, and Andreessen Horowitz are focused on getting this bill passed. Coinbase alone contributed $25 million this year. Meanwhile, lawmakers are under pressure: the outcome of this vote will determine how the PACs spend their money in the 2026 elections.
Some Democrats may back a separate, narrower stablecoin bill instead, which is also expected to reach President Trump’s desk this week. But for Fairshake, the bigger priority is the broader market structure bill, led by Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.).
A related nonprofit, the Cedar Innovation Foundation, called Hill’s bill “the most important vote this Congress.” Last year, 71 Democrats supported a similar version. Whether that level of support holds this time remains uncertain, especially with rising concerns over Trump family ties to the crypto sector.
