United States presidential candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris continues to court the cryptocurrency community as part of her “Opportunity Economy” agenda. 

On Oct. 14 she’s scheduled to speak with a group of Black entrepreneurs in Erie, Pennsylvania, where her agenda indicates she’ll discuss her support for Black-owned small businesses, cryptocurrency and digital asset regulation, as well as legalizing cannabis at the federal level. 

Opportunity Economy

Cedric Richmond, a co-chair in the Harris campaign, said the vice president’s announcement is part of her “Opportunity Economy” pledge, according to a statement given to a local NPR affiliate in New Hampshire.

According to Richmond, Harris seeks to shore up voter support from Black men by promising to build an economy “where Black men are equipped with the tools to thrive, to buy a home, provide for our families, start a business, and build wealth.” 

Harris’ image as part of a supposed US anti-crypto regime appears to have softened since her campaign began in earnest.

As Cointelegraph recently reported, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen contributed XRP worth approximately $1 million at the time of the donation to the Harris-Walz 2024 Presidential campaign. 

Some, evidently, see Harris as a pro-crypto candidate willing to work on bipartisan legislation to regulate digital assets and the cryptocurrency industry. However, not everyone in the community is buying into the Harris campaign’s so-called “crypto pivot.”

Bitwise Invest chief investment officer Matt Hogan commenting on Harris’ stance on crypto regulation. Source: Matt Hogan

Per Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hogan: 

“Serious question: Is this statement the extent of the "Harris pivot" people are excited about? Or did she say more in the live setting? These words are a Rorschach test, not a position -- you can read them as aggressively pro-crypto or anti-crypto.”

However, documents on the Harris campaign website related to the Erie, Pennsylvania, event use slightly different wording, stating that those who “own” cryptocurrency will also be protected, implying that her plan includes protecting ownership of cryptocurrency as opposed to limiting or eliminating it:

“Supporting a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency and other digital assets so Black men who invest in and own these assets are protected.”

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