Ripple Legal Chief Says Washington Should Stop Treating Crypto Users as a Small Political Group

Highlights:

• Crypto users now total 67 million Americans, making digital assets part of everyday life for one in four adults.
• Ripple Chief Legal Officer says Washington should no longer treat crypto holders as a small political group.
• Congress is still debating crypto rules while crypto users continue to grow across the United States.

Ripple Chief Legal Officer and National Cryptocurrency Association President Stuart Alderoty said Washington should stop treating crypto users as a small political group. In a July 7 post on X, he cited the National Cryptocurrency Association’s 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report, which found that 67 million American adults now own cryptocurrency. Alderoty said that figure makes U.S. crypto holders one of the country’s largest public groups. He urged policymakers to recognize that one in four American adults now owns digital assets.

"Only 27%." That is how one poll framed public support for clear crypto rules. As if a quarter of the country were a rounding error.

One in four American adults now holds crypto. That is 67 million people. Your friends, neighbors, coworkers, parents. And it grew by 12 million in… pic.twitter.com/IzZUzFKT1p

— National Cryptocurrency Association (@NatCryptoAssoc) July 6, 2026

Alderoty said the latest ownership figures show that cryptocurrency has expanded far beyond its early user base. He wrote, “For starters, it means more people have crypto than have dogs.” He also said 67 million holders make crypto users “by any reasonable standard” a large national group. Alderoty argued that Washington should no longer treat crypto users as a small political constituency because millions of Americans now participate in the market.

Ripple Legal Chief Points to Changing Crypto Ownership

The 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report said the United States added 12 million crypto holders during the past year, raising total ownership above 67 million adults. The report said one in four American adults now owns cryptocurrency, reflecting continued growth across the United States. Women accounted for 42% of new crypto holders during 2025 and 2026, compared with 34% among earlier holders. The report also found that nearly one-quarter of crypto holders earn $75,000 or less each year.

The report said construction and manufacturing workers now account for more than 21% of all crypto holders. Those figures challenge the long-standing view that cryptocurrency mainly attracts wealthy male technology workers and short-term speculators. Instead, the report showed that digital assets now reach working-class and middle-class households across the United States. The findings also highlighted broader participation across different occupations, income levels, and demographic groups.

Crypto Growth Adds Pressure for Clear Rules

Alderoty’s comments came after a Politico poll showed limited public support for the CLARITY Act. He argued that weak support for one bill does not make crypto users politically irrelevant. Alderoty noted that the reported 27% support closely matches the share of American adults who already own cryptocurrency. He said that the comparison shows lawmakers should not dismiss millions of crypto holders based on one poll.

LATEST: 📊 Just 4% of Americans factor crypto into their vote, per a new POLITICO poll, with only 27% backing government action to make crypto a mainstream financial asset. pic.twitter.com/cewGc8bKIt

— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) May 15, 2026

Congress is still working on the CLARITY Act after the bill missed its July 4 target in the Senate. Lawmakers now face an Aug. 7 deadline before the Senate begins its summer recess. The Senate Banking Committee approved the CLARITY Act in a 15-9 vote in May. However, the bill still needs 60 votes in the Senate before lawmakers can move it toward final passage.

A Politico and Public First survey found that only 4% of voters consider a candidate’s position on crypto when deciding their vote. Meanwhile, Americans for Financial Reform said voters across political parties want crypto companies to follow rules similar to those that apply to banks.

Reuters also reported that crypto companies have spent $189 million during the 2026 U.S. election cycle, exceeding their total political spending during the 2024 cycle. Reuters identified Ripple Labs, Coinbase, Andreessen Horowitz, and Foris DAX among the largest contributors to corporate policy-focused political action committees. Alderoty said lawmakers do not need to endorse a specific cryptocurrency. Instead, he said they must decide whether 67 million American crypto holders deserve clear federal rules.