As the midterm elections approach, cryptocurrencies are not a top concern for most U.S. voters according to a recent survey. Only 1% of those surveyed identified crypto as their primary issue, although broader responses indicated its significance in political discussions.
Conducted by Public Opinion Strategies toward late April’s end for CoinDesk, the poll involved 1,000 randomly selected registered voters. The sample was balanced between Republican and Democrat respondents (41% each), with a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.53%. Although crypto won’t appear on ballots this year, its future in U.S. legislation is notable due to the market structure bill known as the Clarity Act, which remains pivotal. Despite delays, it might still become law by year’s end but faces significant hurdles. Additional legislative topics like expected tax reforms are anticipated.
Ahead of the elections, the crypto sector has invested substantial funds to support favorable candidates after being a major donor in 2024. This article is part of CoinDesk’s series examining voter perspectives for the 2026 midterm election.
As it stands, predictions suggest Democrats may secure the House majority while Republicans could retain control over the Senate. A generic question from POS’s poll showed a narrow Democratic lead (44% to 41%). Prediction markets like Kalshi view the Senate as evenly split; however, Democrats face challenges in gaining control according to Cook Political Report.
The survey also highlighted U.S. President Donald Trump’s net negative approval rating: 40% of respondents approved somewhat or strongly, while 60% disapproved.
Other issues eclipsed crypto’s priority status: cost of living (36%), jobs and the economy (13%), and Social Security and Medicare (11%) were deemed more critical by voters. Crypto ranked low, particularly among Republican-leaning individuals. Artificial intelligence fared slightly better at 2%.
Public perception of cryptocurrency remains mixed; Republicans leaned slightly favorable (41% vs. 39%). Other groups including GOP bases (33% to 39%), independents (27% to 48%), Democratic leaners (26% to 54%), and base Democrats (25% to 58%) viewed it less favorably.
Around a quarter of respondents had engaged with crypto, with 2% holding over $10,000 in digital assets, 9% owning between $1,001 and $10,000, and 12% having $1,000 or less. Of those more interested in this year’s election than last, nearly half owned at least $1,000 worth of crypto.
The poll revealed that 47% perceived Republicans as more supportive of cryptocurrencies compared to 14% for Democrats. However, Democrats retained a slight trust advantage regarding crypto (27% vs. 25%). A larger segment (40%) expressed distrust in both parties concerning crypto issues.
About 40% stated they’d likely vote based on a candidate’s stance on crypto without specifying if this was positive or negative. Crypto’s favorability stood at 30%, lower than Republicans (39%) and Democrats (43%). DeFi awareness was limited, with only 60% aware of it and 17% holding favorable views.
Artificial intelligence had more balanced perceptions: 46% viewed it positively versus 45% negatively.
Although not a primary issue for voters, crypto’s significance in the election context is acknowledged by 25% of respondents who see it as important. This awareness reflects an increased recognition compared to previous years.
Data from this survey will be released at Consensus Miami on Tuesday.