Stand With Crypto to vet 2026 candidates on digital asset positions

Update (Nov. 24 at 7:35 pm UTC): This article has been updated to include a response from Stand With Crypto.

The cryptocurrency advocacy organization backed by Coinbase has begun surveying federal and state candidates’ positions on digital assets ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.

In a Monday notice shared with Cointelegraph, Stand With Crypto said it had sent a questionnaire to an unspecified number of candidates in state and federal races, asking for information related to their positions on “digital assets, crypto innovation, de-banking, crypto mining and zoning, consumer protections” and more. The organization also requested that respondents disclose whether they had ever held crypto or used blockchain technology.

“The next Congress will have a significant impact on whether or not the US adopts the pro-crypto policies that will foster continued economic growth, innovation, and access,” said Stand With Crypto community director Mason Lynaugh. 

Stand With Crypto said it would utilize the questionnaire’s results to determine where to focus its efforts for the 2026 midterm elections, mobilizing through events and encouraging crypto-minded individuals to vote. A spokesperson for the organization told Cointelegraph that it would distribute the forms “widely,” but did not specify the number of candidates.

The organization has already turned out voters in the 2025 election for New Jersey’s governor, which may have influenced Democrat Mikie Sherrill’s victory.

Related: How market structure votes could influence 2026 crypto voters

All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives and 33 seats in the Senate will be up for grabs in the 2026 elections, as well as many in state-level races. In 2024, Stand With Crypto reported that 274 candidates considered “pro-crypto” based on their public statements and voting records won election or reelection.

“The questionnaire will not only significantly influence the final grade that politicians receive from Stand With Crypto, but also is the main way that candidates can receive a profile on the site for voters across the country to reference as they determine how to cast their ballots,” a spokesperson for Stand With Crypto told Cointelegraph.

Market structure paused during the US holidays?

This week, members of the House and Senate are scheduled for state work periods, meaning they will return to their home districts and states ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.

Although Congress has continued to make progress with a bill to establish a comprehensive digital asset market structure, the holidays and the longest government shutdown in US history may slow Republican lawmakers’ plans to have the bill signed into law by 2026.

Still, the latest estimate from Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott signaled passage early next year.

Magazine: 2026 is the year of pragmatic privacy in crypto: Canton, Zcash and more