On March 11, 2025, Rep. Ro Khanna gave a brief however impactful speak on the Bitcoin Coverage Institute’s Bitcoin for America summit.
“Bitcoin is transformational for thus many individuals world wide,” Rep. Khanna said on the summit. “That’s the reason the Democratic Get together must be embracing it as one thing that may create monetary empowerment for folks not simply in the US, however world wide.”
That is the kind of message he’s been spreading for years now, and he’s urged his fellow Democrats to observe his lead. He’s implored them to not be terrified of Bitcoin however to view it simply as they view different main technological developments of our time, together with the web itself.
“My aim is to make Bitcoin bipartisan,” Rep. Khanna informed Bitcoin Journal. “I wish to persuade Democrats that bitcoin is a next-generation retailer of worth that hundreds of thousands of individuals world wide use and that America displaying management on it permits us to attach with these folks, typically a few of the most disenfranchised.”
For a celebration that usually advocates for monetary inclusion, it appears virtually ironic that so many Democrats have appeared previous Bitcoin, an open-source expertise that anybody can use with nothing greater than an web connection (and, in some instances, even with out one).
With that mentioned, Rep. Khanna made the purpose that, whereas he stays one of many few extra vocal Democrats with regards to being pro-Bitcoin, the variety of Democratic politicians who’ve said that they’re in favor of the expertise has elevated considerably over the previous few years.
“We went from simply 10 of us or so supporting Bitcoin and crypto to virtually 70 or 80,” mentioned Rep. Khanna. “It’s taking place slowly.”
And whereas some have attributed to malice most Democrats’ historic stance on Bitcoin, Rep. Khanna claims the problem is extra a lack of awareness of the expertise’s goal and use instances.
“Some Democratic politicians are usually not conscious of how useful Bitcoin could be with remittances or how it may be utilized by those that don’t have entry to U.S. {dollars},” mentioned the congressman. “Many individuals world wide use it for each causes,” he added, alluding to the concept many, together with some Democrats, won’t concentrate on this truth.
The Bitcoin And Crypto Voting Bloc In U.S. Swing States
In line with analysis from Coinbase, in every of the swing states in the newest U.S. presidential election, there have been about 10 occasions the variety of crypto holders in comparison with the vote differential between Biden and Trump in 2020.
Harris misplaced to Trump in every of those swing states, leaving some to take a position that the turnout of the Bitcoin and crypto voting bloc might have been one of many main forces that swayed the election in Trump’s favor.
Whereas Rep. Khanna doesn’t know to what extent this voting bloc impacted the election outcomes, he agreed that it was seemingly one among many main components that affected the result of the election.
“I believe it made a distinction,” mentioned the congressman. “In such a detailed election, every thing issues, and the very fact that there have been some Democrats who offended Bitcoin and crypto voters was not useful.”
And Rep. Khanna isn’t alone in acknowledging this.
In December 2024, on the New York Occasions DealBook Summit, Van Jones — political analyst, media persona, and outstanding voice inside the Democratic get together — said that it was to the Democratic get together’s detriment that it shut out pro-Bitcoin and pro-crypto voters.
Rep. Khanna sang Jones’ praises and mentioned that we must be listening to extra voices like Jones’ inside the Democratic get together talking up in favor of Bitcoin within the close to future.
“I’ve a variety of respect for Van Jones,” mentioned Rep. Khanna.
“He spent a while within the Bay Space, so he will get expertise. The get together might be shifting in a course that’s going to embrace Bitcoin and different applied sciences,” he added.
Will President Trump’s Embrace Of Bitcoin Deter Democrats From Supporting It?
Whereas it solely appears logical that the Democratic get together would reverse its stance on Bitcoin if it’s seeking to decide up seats on the Home and Senate come the 2026 midterm elections, it concurrently appears troublesome to think about extra Democrats popping out in assist of Bitcoin given the extremely partisan political local weather within the U.S. coupled with the truth that President Trump is an ardent Bitcoin supporter.
Rep. Khanna argued that Democrats shouldn’t be considering alongside get together strains with regards to Bitcoin, however somewhat assessing the expertise based mostly solely on what it’s.
“Politicians are able to evaluating Bitcoin on its deserves,” mentioned Rep. Khanna.
“Bitcoin is only a decentralized digital foreign money that allows peer-to-peer transactions with out a want for an middleman. Individuals simply want to check Bitcoin and be taught that it’s only a medium of trade,” he added.
Rep. Khanna additionally took a second to distinguish between Bitcoin and meme cash, highlighting the truth that the president’s just lately launched coin ($TRUMP) creates a lot confusion relating to the worth proposition of crypto belongings, together with bitcoin.
“We shouldn’t have elected officers like President Trump launching meme cash,” mentioned the congressman.
Getting Democrats on the Proper Facet of Historical past
At a time when many U.S. residents are struggling to make ends meet, ought to Bitcoin be a front-and-center concern for Democrats, as soon as broadly thought to be the political get together of the center and dealing class?
Rep. Khanna doesn’t essentially assume so, however he additionally doesn’t assume the get together ought to proceed to pooh-pooh the expertise.
“There are far larger points at hand proper now just like the cuts in Medicaid, the firing of veterans, and the erratic coverage of tariffs,” the congressman defined.
“However the Democrats had been on the improper facet of problems with innovation and Bitcoin in 2022 and 2024, and we now have a chance to get on the appropriate facet of it,” he added.
So, how can pro-Bitcoin Democrat voters assist to get their get together on the appropriate facet of historical past with regards to Bitcoin?
Rep. Khanna had just a few solutions:
“They need to level to these of us who’re main on Bitcoin and crypto,” he mentioned.
“They will encourage members of presidency to check the problem, in order that they’re not uninformed,” he added.
“And they need to speak in regards to the monumental adoption of Bitcoin.”
