In brief
- David Plouffe, architect of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and former adviser to Kamala Harris, has joined Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council, deepening the exchange’s bipartisan strategy amid mounting crypto legislation in Washington.
- Plouffe joins Trump’s former campaign manager Chris LaCivita and other high-profile political figures in the advisory council.
- Speaking at Coinbase’s summit, Plouffe called crypto holders “politically competitive” swing voters, as the industry ramps up political spending and influence ahead of key regulatory decisions.
David Plouffe, the Democratic strategist behind Barack Obama’s historic 2008 presidential victory, has joined Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council, marking the latest bipartisan power play by the crypto giant to secure political influence in Washington.
The appointment, announced Thursday at Coinbase’s State of Crypto Summit in New York, adds another high-profile political strategist to the exchange’s expanding roster of advisors.
Plouffe, who most recently served as a senior adviser to Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign, joins Donald Trump’s former co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita, who joined the council in January following the presidential inauguration.
Plouffe’s addition points to Coinbase’s strategic effort to maintain bipartisan appeal as the industry pushes for favorable legislation under the Trump administration.
“Crypto speaks directly to how people want to live their financial lives – faster and cheaper, with fewer gatekeepers,” Plouffe said in Coinbase’s announcement. “It reflects the desires of today’s customers and voters alike. Policymakers who understand that shift will be positioned to lead; those who ignore it risk being left behind.”
Plouffe brings decades of experience at the intersection of government, public policy, and technology.
Beyond his role as Obama’s campaign architect, he served as a White House Senior Advisor and later led global policy and strategy at Uber during its international expansion.
His addition to the Coinbase GAC comes as Congress moves with unusual speed on crypto-friendly legislation.
On Wednesday, Democrats joined Republicans to advance stablecoin regulation, the Genius Act, with final Senate passage expected next week.
A broader crypto market structure bill is also advancing through House committees.
“David joining GAC comes on the heels of one of the biggest legislative moments for crypto in U.S. history,” said Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase’s Chief Policy Officer. “He understands how to build broad coalitions and drive forward-looking policy.”
Crypto swing voters
Speaking at Thursday’s summit, both Plouffe and LaCivita detailed their campaigns’ efforts to court “crypto voters” in 2024.
The crypto industry spent over $130 million on congressional races, with Coinbase serving as the largest contributor to the industry’s super PAC, as per a New York Times report.
“The folks who own crypto are pretty politically competitive,” Plouffe told AP News. “These are not MAGA voters. They are swing voters. Lean a little Democratic, certainly lean a lot younger.”
LaCivita credited the crypto issue with helping Trump reach new demographics, particularly younger and Black voters.
“It gave us an opportunity to establish common ground with an area and a demographic that we need expand in in order to be successful,” he said.
The Global Advisory Council now includes former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, former Senators Patrick Toomey and Kyrsten Sinema, the UK’s former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, and other prominent figures.
Trump, who addressed the conference via video, called it “a really big honor” to be deemed the “first crypto president.”
His administration has already begun rolling back Biden-era crypto restrictions, including guidance that discouraged crypto investments in retirement accounts.
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