Democrat Ro Khanna champions bitcoin’s bipartisan future

Bitcoin's role in shaping the future of American politics was at the forefront of a recent conversation between Scott Melker, host of The Wolf of All Streets podcast, and U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA). Khanna, a Democrat representing Silicon Valley, emphasized that bitcoin transcends political divisions and has the potential to transform the global financial system. The discussion explored bitcoin as a tool for innovation and freedom, even amid current political challenges.

Scott Melker kicked off the conversation by noting the surprising alignment of some Democrats with bitcoin advocacy. Rep. Khanna, who has been a proponent of bitcoin since his early days in Congress, highlighted the longstanding support from various Democratic figures such as Rep. Richie Torres (D-NY) and Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL.) He stated, "We've been talking about being for bitcoin and the innovation economy, including crypto, since I got to Congress."

Rep. Khanna has accelerated educational efforts on crypto within the Democratic ranks, including by recently hosting a roundtable with Biden administration officials and industry leaders just weeks ago . The event featured notable figures like Anthony Scaramucci and Mark Cuban, as well as representatives from major industry players such as Andreessen Horowitz, Coinbase, and Ripple. Khanna explained the rationale behind the initiative, noting, "We wanted to get the attention of the administration and the Senate and the House."

Khanna underscored the importance of bitcoin in fostering faster, cheaper payments and highlighted its value as a tool for financial freedom, especially in authoritarian or inflationary regimes. He questioned, "Why wouldn't America want to lead in something that is being used by so many millions of people around the world?" This sentiment was echoed during the roundtable, which saw participation from various tech leaders and resulted in a constructive dialogue about the future of crypto regulation.

Rep. Khanna also weighed in on active regulatory efforts in Congress and stressed his support for Fit 21 (Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act), a bill aimed at providing regulatory clarity for cryptocurrencies. He pointed out that a substantial number of Democrats voted in favor of the bill, indicating a growing recognition of the need for regulatory certainty in the crypto space.

Rep. Khanna also touched upon the contentious veto of SAB 121 (Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121), a decision he described as a mistake. The rule had prevented banks from providing custody for crypto. Even SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce recently criticized the rule and the way it had been used. Rep. Khanna argued that the administration's stance on crypto needs to shift to better accommodate the evolving financial landscape.

Addressing the perception of bitcoin as a partisan issue, Rep. Khanna lamented the politicization of technology. He attributed some of the divisiveness to political exploitation, notably by figures like Donald Trump. However, Khanna remained optimistic about the future, advocating for sensible, thoughtful regulation of stablecoins and a more significant role for bitcoin in the national treasury.