On March 11, 2025, Congressman Ro Khanna delivered a brief yet powerful address at the Bitcoin Policy Institute’s Bitcoin for America summit.
“Bitcoin is transformative for countless individuals globally,” Rep. Khanna remarked during the summit. “This is why the Democratic Party should embrace it as a tool for financial empowerment not only in the United States but across the globe.”
This message has been a consistent theme for him over the years, and he has encouraged his fellow Democrats to adopt a similar stance. He urges them to approach Bitcoin with the same enthusiasm they reserve for other significant technological innovations, such as the internet itself.
“My objective is to foster bipartisan support for Bitcoin,” Rep. Khanna expressed in an interview with Bitcoin Magazine. “I aim to persuade Democrats that Bitcoin is a next-generation store of value utilized by millions worldwide, and that American leadership on this issue allows us to connect with these often disenfranchised individuals.”
It seems somewhat paradoxical for a party that advocates for financial inclusion to overlook Bitcoin, an open-source technology accessible to anyone with merely an internet connection (sometimes even without one).
Notwithstanding this, Rep. Khanna noted that, while he remains one of the few prominently vocal Democrats in favor of Bitcoin, the number of Democratic politicians supporting the technology has significantly increased over recent years.
“We’ve grown from just about 10 supporters of Bitcoin and crypto to nearly 70 or 80,” stated Rep. Khanna. “It’s a gradual change.”
While some may interpret the historical reluctance of many Democrats towards Bitcoin as ill-will, Rep. Khanna maintains the issue is more about a lack of comprehension regarding the technology’s benefits and applications.
“Several Democratic politicians are uninformed about how beneficial Bitcoin can be for remittances or its utility for individuals lacking access to U.S. dollars,” the congressman noted. “Many people worldwide utilize it for these reasons,” he stressed, highlighting that some, including Democrats, may not recognize this reality.
The Bitcoin And Crypto Voting Bloc In U.S. Swing States
Research from Coinbase reveals that in each swing state during the last U.S. presidential election, there were about ten times the number of crypto holders compared to the vote differential between Biden and Trump in 2020.
Harris lost to Trump in these swing states, leading to speculation that the participation of the Bitcoin and crypto voting bloc could have significantly influenced the election in Trump’s favor.
While Rep. Khanna is uncertain of the extent to which this voting bloc swayed the election results, he concurred that it was likely one of several pivotal factors impacting the election’s outcome.
“I believe it made a difference,” the congressman affirmed. “In such a closely contested election, every detail matters, and the fact that some Democrats alienated Bitcoin and crypto voters was counterproductive.”
Rep. Khanna is not alone in this assessment.
During the New York Times DealBook Summit in December 2024, Van Jones—a political analyst, media figure, and influential voice within the Democratic Party—asserted that the party was detrimentally sidelining pro-Bitcoin and pro-crypto voters.
Rep. Khanna praised Jones, expressing that more voices like his should emerge within the Democratic Party advocating for Bitcoin in the near future.
“I have great respect for Van Jones,” Rep. Khanna commented.
“Having spent time in the Bay Area, he understands technology. The party is on a trajectory to embrace Bitcoin and other advancements,” he concluded.
Will President Trump’s Embrace Of Bitcoin Deter Democrats From Supporting It?
Although it seems reasonable for the Democratic Party to reconsider its position on Bitcoin if it wishes to gain seats in the House and Senate during the 2026 midterm elections, it remains challenging to envision more Democrats expressing support for Bitcoin given the highly polarized political atmosphere in the U.S. and President Trump’s strong pro-Bitcoin stance.
Rep. Khanna contended that Democrats ought to evaluate Bitcoin without partisan bias, focusing instead on the technology’s inherent qualities.
“Politicians can assess Bitcoin based on its merits,” Rep. Khanna stated.
“Bitcoin is merely a decentralized digital currency facilitating peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries. Individuals just need to learn about Bitcoin and comprehend that it functions as a medium of exchange,” he added.
Rep. Khanna also took the opportunity to differentiate between Bitcoin and meme coins, emphasizing that the president’s recently released coin ($TRUMP) adds confusion regarding the value proposition of crypto assets, including Bitcoin.
“We shouldn’t have elected officials like President Trump launching meme coins,” asserted the congressman.
Getting Democrats on the Right Side of History
In a time when many U.S. citizens are grappling with financial difficulties, should Bitcoin become a central issue for Democrats, who have historically been viewed as the party of the middle and working class?
Rep. Khanna doesn’t necessarily believe it should be the primary focus, but he also thinks the party shouldn’t dismiss the technology.
“There are significantly more pressing issues at hand right now, such as Medicaid cuts, the dismissal of veterans, and erratic tariff policies,” the congressman elaborated.
“However, Democrats were on the wrong side concerning issues of innovation and Bitcoin in 2022 and 2024; we now have a chance to align ourselves with the right side of history,” he continued.
How can pro-Bitcoin Democrat voters encourage their party to embrace the right side of history regarding Bitcoin?
Rep. Khanna offered several suggestions:
“They should highlight those of us who are advocating for Bitcoin and crypto,” he recommended.
“They can urge government officials to educate themselves on the issue, so they are not misinformed,” he added.
“And they should discuss the extensive adoption of Bitcoin.”
