Ever wondered how politics and crypto mix? Let's talk about Coinbase, a major crypto exchange. Years ago, the company's founder, Brian Armstrong, kept his distance from Washington. But as crypto grew bigger, so did Coinbase's need to get involved. Armstrong started spending more time in D. C. , meeting with political leaders. This year, Coinbase donated over $75 million to a group called Fairshake and its political action committees (PACs). Armstrong himself gave over $1 million to various candidates.

Why the big spending? Well, Coinbase was sued last year by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for selling unregistered securities. It's a serious matter that could affect the company's future. Plus, competition is heating up in the crypto world. Coinbase lost some market share and saw its stock drop 15% in the last quarter.

Coinbase is trying to shape the rules of the game. They want to work with regulators to create fair laws for the crypto industry. By supporting favorable lawmakers, they hope to become leaders in a thriving industry, not just targets of lawsuits.

Coinbase isn't alone in spending big on politics. Half of this election's corporate money comes from crypto firms. Ripple Labs, another major company, has also donated a lot. They say it's because they want to educate lawmakers about crypto and avoid heavy-handed regulation.

Coinbase even organized a bus tour to get crypto owners in swing states registered to vote. They believe the "crypto voter" could sway close elections.

Crypto Company Coinbase Makes Big Bet in Politics

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