From National Threat to Opportunity, How Regulation is Changing With Crypto.

Amid one of the worst crypto winters, polls and research indicate that crypto enthusiasm is still high. Public opinion about cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin continues to trend positively. Polls from The Ascent, made in May 2022, suggest crypto could become a significant political force moving forward. Analysis from a StarkWave survey in March 2022 found that 53% of American respondents believe crypto will be ‘the future of finance.’ Within the 25-34 age range, this figure swelled to 68%. A late September report from VC firm Haun Ventures found somewhat similar sentiment even amid bear markets for all of 2022. 72% of crypto holders in the poll, who lived in one of four major U.S. Cities, said they owned digital assets because “they want an economic system that is more democratized, fair, and works for more people.” Notably – Haun Ventures wrote, “voters are less likely to support candidates perceived as standing in the way of a decentralized internet.” These findings are notable as cryptos like Ethereum and stablecoins help drive DeFi. As public sentiment grows warmer towards crypto, surprisingly, some national governments might not be far behind. For example, Colombia’s newly-minted President, Gustavo Petro, explained in 2021 how “virtual currency is pure information and therefore energy.” To the ire of some within the European Parliament, French regulators approved the Binance crypto exchange in May 2022. Will The U.S.A B...