US Poll Finds Distrust of Crypto and AI Could Undercut Midterm Campaign Spending
Cryptocurrency and AI companies are seeking to influence the 2026 US midterm elections through super PACs. Fairshake has spent $28 million in primary races, while Leading the Future has raised more than $75 million since its launch in August 2025. Although such large political contributions can shape campaigns and policy, low public trust in the industries could backfire on candidates they support.
A Public First poll of 2,035 people conducted for POLITICO and released on May 13, 2026, found that 45% said investing in cryptocurrency was not worth the risk, while only 25% said it was. Some 47% trusted traditional banks more, while just 17% placed equal trust in crypto platforms. About two-thirds supported strict congressional regulation of AI or the establishment of AI principles, and only 4% said a candidate's crypto policies would influence their vote.
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The history behind this eventCoinDesk Poll Finds 62% of U.S. Voters Distrust Trump Administration on Crypto Oversight
After returning to the White House, Donald Trump pledged to make the United States the “crypto capital of the world.” He also appointed a crypto czar, pursued industry-friendly regulation and advanced the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. But the Trump family’s ownership and control of digital-asset businesses including World Liberty Financial has made potential conflicts of interest in the administration’s rulemaking an issue in the 2026 midterm elections.
CoinDesk commissioned Public Opinion Strategies to survey 1,000 registered U.S. voters. The poll, published on May 3, 2026, and updated on July 2, found that 62% did not trust the Trump administration to regulate the crypto industry, while Trump’s approval rating stood at just 40%. Seventy-three percent opposed senior officials’ involvement in crypto businesses, including 59% of Republican voters. Just 2% of respondents held more than $10,000 in digital assets, and the survey’s confidence interval was about 3.5 percentage points.
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