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ToggleCryptocurrency regulation is evolving from an industry issue into a key variable in elections. A recent HarrisX poll reveals that support for the CLARITY Act among registered voters nationwide is not only bipartisan but also directly translates into electoral momentum: senators who support the bill could gain a 20-point net electoral advantage, and nearly half of voters are even willing to vote across party lines. This poll indicates that the core issue of cryptocurrency regulation has shifted from "should it be regulated?" to "who can use it to mobilize votes?"
Digital assets and their federal regulatory framework are at a critical turning point.
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (HR3633), currently under consideration in Congress, will clarify three things: whether different types of digital assets will be regulated by the SEC or the CFTC, registration rules for cryptocurrency exchanges and custodians, and industry-wide consumer protection standards. This is one of the most important digital asset legislations Congress has considered to date.
Building on its long-standing expertise in public opinion polling, HarrisX conducted a nationwide survey of 2,008 registered voters to measure four things: voters’ awareness and ownership of digital assets, attitudes toward U.S. leadership in digital finance, approval of the Clarity Act, and whether candidates’ positions on crypto regulation will affect the 2026 midterm elections.
Of the world's top ten cryptocurrency exchanges, eight are headquartered outside the United States. As digital payment systems and stablecoin infrastructure rapidly expand globally, if the United States fails to produce clear federal rules, it risks relinquishing control of a strategic financial technology to overseas jurisdictions—a move that would significantly impact national security, the global status of the dollar, the retention of developers and companies, and the overall competitiveness of the United States in fintech innovation.
Bipartisan voters are aware of this risk and hope that Congress will act quickly.
This is a voter poll conducted by HarrisX regarding the Clarity Act (US cryptocurrency market structure legislation), and the five charts present five key findings:
Figure 1 | The bill received bipartisan support. 52% of respondents supported the CLARITY Act, while only 11% opposed it; the net support rates for Democrats, Republicans, and independent voters were +43%, +48%, and +32%, respectively, with Republican voters having the highest approval rate.
Figure 2 | Supporting legislation can bring significant electoral gains. The net electoral gain is +20%—37% of voters said they would rather vote for the senator who pushed for the passage of the CLARITY Act, while only 17% said they would be less willing; 47% of voters were willing to vote across party lines for it, with Republican voters having the highest percentage (51%).
Figure 3 | "National security" is the most persuasive narrative framework. 56% of respondents believe that digital payment systems built and controlled outside the United States would weaken U.S. national security, while only 22% believe they would strengthen it; this judgment is a majority consensus across all three major parties (DEM 56%, GOP 57%, IND 54%). 23% of voters listed national security as the primary reason for pushing for the passage of the bill.
Figure 4 | Voters want the US to take the lead and establish clear rules. 70% believe the US should have already passed encryption legislation; 62% believe it is "extremely important" or "very important" for the US to set global rules for digital finance; 60% said they would rather have imperfect but clear federal legislation than continue to rely on the "case-by-case" regulatory model.
Figure 5 | Most voters are unaware of the offshore nature of the crypto industry. Only 33% of voters are aware that eight of the world's top ten crypto exchanges are located outside the United States. After being informed, 46% considered it a problem, while only 13% considered it harmless; this concern was most pronounced among Republican voters (50%).
Voters still have limited understanding of digital assets, but their views are clear and consistent: the United States should establish rules for digital finance, and should act as soon as possible.
Awareness of digital assets remains low, but crypto holders already constitute a sizable voting group.
39% of voters said they were familiar with digital assets and blockchain technology, while 61% said they were not.
Two-fifths of voters have purchased cryptocurrency, and 30% have made a purchase in the past year.
Familiarity and ownership are primarily concentrated among male voters and voters under 35 years old.
This chart focuses on a core issue—American voters' strong expectation for their country to establish dominance in the cryptocurrency field. HarrisX uses five questions to depict a fairly clear public opinion orientation from five dimensions: urgency, global status, regulatory path, legislative pace, and risk-taking.
70% | Legislation should have been in place long ago. Seven out of ten voters believe the US should have passed clear cryptocurrency legislation much earlier. This is a judgment about "timeliness"—voters are no longer discussing "whether or not to legislate," but rather expressing anxiety about "why legislation hasn't been enacted yet."
62% | Global rules should be written by the US. Regarding the right to set global rules for digital finance, 62% of voters believe it is extremely important or very important for the US, rather than other countries, to lead. This essentially elevates crypto regulation from a "financial issue" to an "issue of national competition."
60% | We want clear federal law, not case-by-case enforcement. Sixty percent of voters explicitly stated that they would rather accept imperfect but clearly defined federal legislation than continue to operate in a gray area where enforcement agencies determine the nature of cases on a case-by-case basis. This is a direct rejection of the SEC-led approach of "using litigation instead of legislation" in recent years.
57% | Legislate first, then iterate. 57% of voters believe that rather than waiting for a perfect bill, it's better to first implement the existing version and then gradually improve it through practice. This echoes the logic often used by legislators: "don't let perfect be the enemy of good," and also reduces political resistance in the process of advancing the bill.
56% | Willing to take risks to gain dominance. Even if it means bearing the risks inherent in the crypto market itself, 56% of voters believe the U.S. should "take over" the market through clear regulation. In other words, voters' concerns about "allowing the market to flow overseas" outweigh their worries about "the trouble that regulation itself might cause."
Voters want the United States to maintain its leadership in the cryptocurrency field.
Voters are not buying into "case-by-case enforcement": 60% prefer ambiguous federal law.
Although most voters are not familiar with the technical details of digital assets, they have shown a strong, broad and consistent demand for American leadership and clear federal rules.
A majority of voters (70%) believe the United States should have enacted clear cryptocurrency legislation long ago; 62% of voters believe it is important for the United States to set global digital finance rules.
Voters also do not agree with continuing to rely on case-by-case enforcement: 60% of voters prefer clear federal legislation, even if it is not perfect; 57% of voters believe that rather than waiting for a perfect law, it is better to pass partial legislation now and then gradually improve it in the future.
Even with the trade-offs clearly stated, voters are still inclined to take action. 56% of voters believe the U.S. should take control of the crypto market through clear regulation, even if it means accepting the risks involved.
Overall, these results indicate that voters are not asking Congress to continue debating "whether or not to act," but rather to take swift, clear, and federal action.
Offshore centralization is an important but not yet fully recognized issue.
Voters support U.S. regulation. The high concentration of crypto trading platforms overseas also provides another concrete reason for voter support for federal crypto regulatory rules.
The survey shows that voters are generally unaware of how much digital asset market activity is outside of U.S. regulation; but once they are aware of this fact, few consider it acceptable.
Only one-third of voters know that eight of the world's top ten cryptocurrency exchanges are headquartered outside the United States.
• Upon learning this fact, 46% of voters believed that the fact that most crypto transactions occur outside of U.S. regulation was a problem, at least to some extent; only 13% of voters thought it was fine, or even a good thing.
47% willing to vote across party lines: Cryptocurrency issue becomes a new variable in swing states
National security is a key factor driving voter support for federal action.
When this issue is placed within the framework of national security, voters’ concerns that foreign control of digital payment systems could undermine U.S. security and the global status of the dollar are further amplified.
• 56% of voters believe that if future digital payment systems are built and controlled by countries outside the United States, it will weaken U.S. national security. Only 22% of voters believe it will enhance U.S. national security.
More than two-fifths of voters believe that the dominance of foreign-issued stablecoins would weaken the dollar's global status; only 17% of voters believe it would strengthen the dollar's position.
Voters have long wanted better rules and regulations for digital assets.
The need for federal action did not begin with the current debate. Multiple HarrisX studies over the past three years have shown that voters consistently favor clearer rules, stronger safeguards, and a more proactive approach to U.S. regulation of digital assets.
Our previous research findings include:
Voters want clear crypto rules, not regulation through law enforcement. In a 2024 study, voters supported clear rules more than law enforcement regulation by a margin of 48% to 23%; by 2025, this gap remained largely unchanged, with 49% supporting clear rules and 26% supporting law enforcement regulation.
Voters believe the U.S. is falling behind, creating a leadership gap. In 2024 and 2025, only about one-fifth of voters believe the U.S. is leading in crypto regulation, while 36% believe the U.S. has fallen behind.
But voters want the U.S. to lead in this field. In 2025, 69% of registered voters and 84% of crypto investors believe it is crucial for the U.S. to lead the world in blockchain technology development; 82% of voters support Congress enacting stricter rules for crypto trading platforms and brokers.
Note 2: Sources include a HarrisX/Blockchain Association survey of 1,717 registered U.S. voters conducted from October 25 to 28, 2024, and a HarrisX/Blockchain Association survey of 1,861 registered U.S. voters conducted from December 3 to 4, 2025.
After receiving a neutral description, 52% of voters supported the Clarity Act, while 11% opposed it. Support was bipartisan, and the size of the persuasive centrist group was substantial.
Centralization of overseas stock exchanges: 46% of voters view it as a national security issue
Voter awareness of the bill remains low.
• 64% of voters had never heard of the Clarity Act; 14% said they had heard a lot about it, and 22% said they had heard a little about it.
The first interpretation of a bill that voters hear will determine the ceiling of its political support. The neutral description used in this survey resulted in solid majority support.
After obtaining a neutral description, the approval rate was high and the disapproval rate was limited.
Survey Question CL12: The Clarity Act would specify which federal agency, either the SEC or the CFTC, would regulate different types of digital assets; establish registration rules for cryptocurrency trading platforms and custody institutions; and set consumer protection standards for the industry. Based solely on this description, would you support or oppose this legislation?
The Clarity Act has garnered strong support among key groups.
• Support is clearly bipartisan: Republican voters have a net approval rating of +48, Democratic voters +43, voters likely to participate in the midterm elections +52, and independent voters +32.
Only 10% of independent voters opposed the bill, and the vast majority of them were in a persuasive middle ground: 47% neither supported nor opposed it.
Voters most familiar with this issue had the highest approval ratings: cryptocurrency holders had a net approval rating of +57, voters familiar with digital assets had +55, and voters knowledgeable about the Clarity Act had +49. Education level and access to information boosted approval ratings.
Support for the Clarity Act is based on broader national security concerns.
When asked which reason best supported passing the Clarity Act, voters gave the following answers:
• National security and the status of the US dollar (23%): "Making sure the US dollar and the US payment system remain the center of the global financial system is a national security priority."
Crypto holders become a key voting bloc: 78% prioritize candidate positions.
• Law enforcement and illicit financial activities (17%)
Consumer protection and fraud prevention (16%)
• Jobs and businesses leaving the United States (11%)
Voting in favor of the Clarity Act is a clear electoral advantage across party lines. Nearly half of voters said such issues could prompt them to vote across party lines.
Senators who vote for the Clarity Act will gain support among all types of voters.
37% of voters said they would be more inclined to support a senator if they voted to pass the Clarity Act; 17% said they would be less inclined to support it; and 46% said it would have no effect. Overall, the net gain is +20.
This influence is strongest among Republican voters, with 44% saying they would be more inclined to support it; it also maintains a positive influence among Democratic voters, at 37%; and among independent voters, at 31%.
Bipartisan appeal: 47% of voters would consider changing their party affiliation for this issue.
In a midterm election environment where most issues would reinforce existing partisan divisions, the CLARITY Act is one of the few legislative issues that could potentially create cross-party mobility.
• 47% of voters said that if a candidate supports the CLARITY Act but their preferred party does not, they would at least partially consider voting for a candidate from a party other than their preferred one.
• This willingness to switch across party lines is higher among cryptocurrency holders, voters familiar with digital assets, and voters familiar with the CLARITY Act, reaching 72%, 67%, and 67%, respectively.
The new formula for the 2026 election: Supporting CLARITY = Earning a net 20% bonus votes
Most voters said this issue would influence their vote in 2026.
• 52% of voters said that candidates’ stance on cryptocurrency regulation will be “extremely important” or “somewhat important” in their votes in the 2026 midterm elections.
• Among cryptocurrency holders, this figure rises to 78%; among voters familiar with digital assets, it is 74%.
• The issue is of moderate strength, with 16% of voters saying it is “extremely important.” While it is not the top voter driver, it has broad political reach: many voters are willing to consider crypto regulation in their 2026 vote.
Crypto voters are a sizable and influential voting group.
Beyond the support for the Clarity Act among ordinary voters, the survey results also show that winning over crypto voters has unique political value. Crypto voters are a sizable and influential group; previous HarrisX research has shown that they are highly engaged, issue-driven, and willing to vote across party lines when a candidate's crypto policies align with their own stance.
• High participation: 92% of crypto holders plan to vote in the 2024 US election.
• Issue-driven: 49% of American voters believe it is important for candidates to support pro-crypto policies; among crypto holders, this figure rises to 85%.
• Can be persuaded across party lines: If a candidate supports their preferred pro-crypto policies, American voters are more likely to vote for a non-party candidate, a net increase of +13 percentage points; among crypto holders, this increase is as high as +58 percentage points.
• Influence in swing states: In Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the number of crypto-driven voters has exceeded the margin of victory in previous presidential elections.
• It has become a recognized political force: CBS News reports that in congressional races with active participation from the crypto industry, candidates supported by the crypto industry have won 85% of the elections.
Note 3: The data comes from a HarrisX/Consensys survey conducted from September 4 to 14, 2024, covering 1,664 registered voters nationwide and 1,512 to 1,774 registered voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Texas, respectively.
Note 4: Source: CBS News, December 8, 2024, "Big crypto spent big money to reshape the political landscape".
Voters responded positively to the Clarity Act because it touches on a broader issue: American leadership, national security, and whether digital finance remains under U.S. regulation.
Voters don't need to be crypto enthusiasts to support the Clarity Act. They are responding to a simple judgment: digital finance is happening anyway, a large part of which has moved overseas, and the U.S. should bring it under regulation through clear federal rules.
The political reasons for passing the Clarity Act outweigh the political reasons for blocking it. Senators who vote in favor of the bill will gain a net electoral advantage of +20 and create conditions for bipartisan support.
For the target voter group, this could be a truly influential issue. Among crypto holders, voters familiar with digital assets, young men, and voters already aware of the CLARITY Act, this issue could be enough to change voting choices and even prompt bipartisan voting. For the broader voter population, supporting the CLARITY Act is also a clear net positive political label.
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