Vice President Kamala Harris‘ team has been reaching out to key players in the crypto industry as part of an effort to mend the strained relationship with the rapidly growing sector, according to Coinbase’s Chief Policy Officer, Faryar Shirzad.
In an Aug. 21 post on social media platform X, Shirzad revealed that he has participated in several discussions with the Harris team, covering topics such as fostering innovation, job creation, and consumer protection in the US.
His comments follow a recent statement by Brian Nelson, a senior policy adviser for the Kamala Harris presidential campaign, which expressed support for pro-crypto policies.
Shirzad noted:
“The dialogue had been an important first step, and Brian Nelson’s statement is an encouraging second step in the right direction.”
Harris crypto moves
On Aug. 21, reports emerged that Nelson stated that Harris supports policies aimed at growing the digital asset sector. This support also extends to emerging technologies, signaling a broader embrace of innovation.
Nelson’s comments suggest that Harris may be seeking to engage with the growing crypto industry. Although Harris has not explicitly outlined her stance on crypto, recent campaign actions hint at a possible shift toward the sector. This development has sparked talk of a “reset” campaign, implying that Harris might depart from the current administration’s strict approach.
US lawmaker Rep. Wiley Nickel pointed out that Nelson’s statement aligns with his push for a crypto reset. He believes this move offers the Democratic Party a chance to protect consumers while retaining digital innovation in the US.
He said:
“We have an important opportunity to build on our coalition of Democrats working to protect consumers and keep digital innovation in the United States.”
Despite these efforts, the crypto community’s response to Harris’ campaign has been mixed. Venture capitalist Nic Carter expressed skepticism, stating he does not believe in this “phony pro-crypto pivot” and criticized Harris for making vague promises about possible future changes rather than taking immediate action.
