David Plouffe, a senior adviser to Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign and a longtime Democratic strategist, has joined Coinbase’s global advisory council as the crypto exchange continues to deepen its political influence. Plouffe, who previously helped engineer Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory, now joins a bipartisan roster of high-profile figures, including former senators and one of Donald Trump’s past campaign managers.
The move comes at a time when cryptocurrency is playing a more significant role in Washington, with lawmakers pushing forward new digital asset regulations and political campaigns increasingly courting crypto-savvy voters. Both Republicans and Democrats recognize crypto holders as a growing and potentially decisive group of swing voters in upcoming elections.
Crypto spending surged in the 2024 election cycle. A crypto-aligned super PAC spent over $130 million on congressional races, with Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based crypto exchange, emerging as its top donor.
Congress is responding to industry momentum with rapid progress on legislation to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets. This shift comes amid changing political dynamics, as former President Donald Trump embraces a more crypto-friendly stance, contrasting sharply with what industry leaders saw as tighter restrictions under the prior Democratic administration.
Trump has gone beyond policy pledges by actively investing in the crypto space. His ventures now include raising billions to purchase bitcoin, launching a stablecoin, and supporting a meme coin branded around his political image.
On Thursday, Trump addressed Coinbase’s policy summit in New York via video, receiving enthusiastic applause after being introduced as “the first crypto president.” He praised the industry and called the moment “a really big honor.”
Chris LaCivita, a key figure in Trump’s 2024 campaign, joined Coinbase’s advisory council earlier this year. At the policy summit, both LaCivita and Plouffe discussed how their respective campaigns targeted “crypto voters,” describing them as politically fluid and largely untapped.
Coinbase’s chief policy officer, Faryar Shirzad, said the company engaged both the Harris and Trump teams ahead of the election to emphasize crypto’s potential to reach new audiences.
LaCivita noted that Trump, once skeptical of cryptocurrency, warmed up to it quickly—helped along by his sons Barron Trump and Donald Trump Jr. He added that crypto offered a valuable opportunity to connect with younger and minority voters, groups where Republicans have traditionally struggled.
“It allowed us to build common ground with voters we need to reach,” LaCivita said. “It was a rare political growth opportunity.”
Plouffe echoed the sentiment, saying that Harris’s campaign came to a similar conclusion. He described crypto holders as mostly young, politically competitive swing voters—leaning slightly Democratic, but not strongly aligned with either party.
Looking ahead, both strategists were optimistic about their party’s prospects. Plouffe acknowledged that Democrats need to rebuild their image after underwhelming results last year, but expressed hope that energy from grassroots activists and strong candidates could turn things around. LaCivita, meanwhile, said Trump’s focus will be on proving he can deliver on campaign promises.
Plouffe, who had previously served on Binance’s advisory board, joins a Coinbase council that includes former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, now an independent. According to Shirzad, the advisory group serves as a sounding board for policy strategy and business direction.
Legislative activity around crypto is ramping up in Congress, spurred in part by a robust lobbying push from the industry. This week, a bipartisan coalition advanced a bill regulating stablecoins, and a broader proposal on digital asset market structure is progressing through House committees. The stablecoin legislation could reach the Senate floor as early as next week.
