Chris Larsen, the co-founder and executive chairman of Ripple, is among numerous corporate leaders who have publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential campaign. This endorsement was reported by CNBC on September 6, which highlighted that Larsen signed a letter along with other significant figures such as Aaron Levie of Box, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, Snap chairman Michael Lynton, and former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch.
The endorsement comes as Ripple’s former board member Gene Sperling, who has been part of Ripple since 2015 and served as an economic adviser in multiple U.S. administrations, recently joined Harris’ presidential campaign team. Politico also noted that David Plouffe, another adviser with cryptocurrency ties, has aligned with Harris’ campaign.
This movement within the political and economic spheres coincides with a broader engagement of the cryptocurrency industry in the ongoing U.S. presidential race. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse speculated that regardless of the election outcome, significant crypto regulators like SEC Chair Gary Gensler would step down.
The U.S. presidential election is drawing considerable attention from the crypto community, reflecting on its potential impacts on the sector. On August 5, the Harris campaign announced the acceptance of crypto donations through the Future Forward political action committee. Similarly, former President Donald Trump, another presidential candidate, has expressed strong support for cryptocurrency, aiming to position America as a global crypto hub.
Additionally, other cryptocurrency executives have shown their political colors; ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood endorsed Trump, emphasizing economic priorities, while Gemini’s co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss have contributed significantly to his campaign efforts. The intersection of cryptocurrency leadership and U.S. politics underscores the growing relevance of digital currencies in mainstream political discourse.
