Anchorage, Chainlink-Backed Crypto PAC Endorses 2026 Midterms—Policy

A crypto-focused political action committee aligned with digital asset policy advocacy has unveiled its slate for the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, signaling deeper industry involvement in the electoral process. The Blockchain Leadership Fund named ten candidates it intends to support, spanning four Senate races and six House races, as crypto industry stakeholders seek to influence regulatory and policy outcomes.

In a Thursday announcement, the Blockchain Leadership Fund said it endorsed ten candidates for the 2026 cycle—four in the Senate and six in the House. The move follows broader industry activity as Chainlink Labs and Anchorage Digital announced the launch of a crypto PAC earlier this year, joining other committees that were active in the 2024 cycle, such as Fairshake.

The fund’s selections include Republican candidates Barry Moore, Kurt Alme and Jon Husted for Senate seats in Alabama, Montana and Ohio, respectively, as well as Democrat Angie Craig for the Minnesota Senate race. In the House, endorsements extend to Republicans Houston Gaines, Jim Kingston and Jon Bonck for Georgia’s districts (10th, 1st) and Texas’ 38th district, respectively, along with Democrats Adrian Boafo, Christian Menefee and Don Davis for races in Maryland, Texas and North Carolina.

“We believe constructive bipartisan participation is critical to ensuring the US remains a global leader in financial technology and the future of finance,” said Anchorage Digital in a statement. “We remain committed to supporting responsible innovation and constructive policymaking that brings digital assets further into the regulatory perimeter and strengthens trust in the ecosystem.”

The Blockchain Leadership Fund operates as a hybrid PAC, allowing contributions directly to candidates as well as independent expenditures. The committee indicated it may add further endorsements for candidates who support “responsible digital asset policy” ahead of November’s midterms. Federal Election Commission filings, as of Thursday, show the fund had raised a total of $175,000, with Anchorage Digital contributing $100,000 and Chainlink contributing $75,000.

The endorsement activity sits within a broader pattern of crypto-aligned committees pursuing influence in state primaries and general elections. Notably, several of the fund’s choices benefited from substantial media spending by Fairshake-affiliated groups in recent primaries, illustrating how financing networks are supporting crypto-friendly incumbents and challengers across both parties.

The endorsements come as some of the fund’s selections advanced from primaries. Kingston and Gaines won Republican primaries in Georgia, while Moore advanced to a runoff in Alabama after failing to obtain a majority. The landscape underscores how crypto-aligned committees are aligning with candidates who advocate for policies designed to bring digital assets more fully into the regulatory perimeter and to foster innovation within established legal and regulatory frameworks.

Key takeaways

• The Blockchain Leadership Fund endorsed ten candidates for the 2026 U.S. midterm elections: four in the Senate (Barry Moore, Kurt Alme, Jon Husted, Angie Craig) and six in the House (Houston Gaines, Jim Kingston, Jon Bonck, Adrian Boafo, Christian Menefee, Don Davis).
• The endorsements include Republicans in Alabama, Montana, Ohio, and Georgia, as well as Democrats in Minnesota, Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina.
• FEC filings show the fund has secured $175,000 in funding, with Anchorage Digital contributing $100,000 and Chainlink contributing $75,000.
• The Blockchain Leadership Fund operates as a hybrid PAC, enabling both direct candidate contributions and independent expenditures, and it signaled potential additional endorsements before November.
• The activity reflects a broader ecosystem of crypto-focused political committees, including Fairshake-affiliated groups that have invested significant media spending to support allied candidates in recent primaries.

Strategic endorsements and candidate landscape

The list of endorsements highlights a mixed partisan approach to digital asset policy, pairing Republican candidates who are generally aligned with crypto industry positions with Democratic candidates who advocate for policy outcomes that bring digital assets under clearer regulatory oversight. The Senate slate features three Republicans and one Democrat, while the House slate covers a broader geographic spread across Georgia, Texas, Maryland, Minnesota, and the Carolinas. The geographic distribution suggests an emphasis on states and districts with notable digital asset activity or existing legislative conversations on crypto policy.

Industry-affiliated PACs have increasingly sought to influence policy directions with the aim of shaping licensing frameworks, regulatory oversight, and cross-border compliance considerations. The Blockchain Leadership Fund positions itself within this broader strategy, signaling that digital asset policy is a bipartisan, policy-driven concern rather than a purely ideological activity. The endorsements also reflect a broader trend of aligning campaign support with candidates who advocate for integrating digital assets into the existing legal and regulatory perimeter while preserving innovation incentives for firms and investors.

Funding architecture, disclosures, and regulatory context

The Blockchain Leadership Fund is described as a hybrid PAC, enabling direct candidate contributions as well as independent expenditures. As of the latest filings, the committee reported $175,000 in funding, with Anchorage Digital contributing $100,000 and Chainlink contributing $75,000. The total amount, while modest relative to some political committees, illustrates continued mainstream engagement by crypto industry players in American elections and highlights the evolving disclosure and compliance considerations around crypto-linked political spending.

From a regulatory perspective, the activity underscores several implications for compliance, AML/KYC regimes, and licensing oversight. Crypto firms participating in political fundraising must navigate the Federal Election Commission framework, including contribution limits, disclosure requirements, and prohibitions on certain sources of funds. For banks and payment providers serving this ecosystem, the growth of crypto-focused PACs raises considerations about customer due diligence, source-of-funds verification, and the potential for heightened scrutiny under enforcement regimes administered by the SEC, CFTC, and DOJ, particularly as digital assets come under tighter regulatory perimeter definitions and supervisory expectations.

Analysts and compliance teams should monitor how these endorsements translate into policy proposals and regulatory priorities, including any shifts in enforcement posture or licensing criteria that may affect market access for digital asset businesses. The broader policy context—ranging from anti-money laundering controls to cross-border transfer rules and asset classification—remains a critical backdrop to the political activity surrounding crypto industry fundraising.

Texas and national race dynamics: Fellowship PAC and high-profile endorsements

Beyond the Blockchain Leadership Fund, crypto industry money is flowing into other high-stakes races. The Fellowship PAC, an $11 million committee funded by Cantor Fitzgerald and Anchorage Digital, disclosed a $500,000 expenditure to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate. This filing followed reports that Fellowship had, earlier, withdrawn media funding from Paxton amid pressure from Republican leadership over related policy considerations, including connections to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick of Cantor Fitzgerald.

Meanwhile, national attention has shifted toward the Texas Senate contest where endorsements and funding signals intersect with broader political dynamics. President Donald Trump indicated his support for Paxton in his bid against incumbent John Cornyn, a development that underscores the importance of crypto-linked political money as a factor in high-profile races. In related competitive primaries, state Republican James Talarico won a March Democratic primary, setting up a general election contest that will feature a Republican opponent after the Paxton-Cornyn runoff decision is resolved.

These movements illustrate how crypto industry contributors are funding diverse political strategies across state and federal contests, seeking to influence both policy direction and electoral outcomes. While the immediate impact of such funding remains influenced by a complex mix of candidate platforms, donor networks, and campaign messaging, the trend signals increasing institutionalization of crypto political activity and its potential regulatory repercussions for the broader digital asset ecosystem.

As the election cycle progresses, authorities and market participants will closely watch how these political contributions correlate with policy proposals, enforcement priorities, and licensing standards that shape the integration of digital assets into the mainstream financial system. The ongoing alignment between industry interests and policy development will likely influence not only legislative outcomes but also regulatory expectations for crypto firms seeking to operate within the U.S. financial system.

The evolving landscape of crypto-friendly political engagement—aligned with regulatory compliance and disciplined policy advocacy—remains a key area for institutional monitoring and risk assessment as the 2026 midterms approach.

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