The lobby group backed by Coinbase urges the ABC to inquire about cryptocurrency during the Trump-Harris debate.

• A bus tour was launched by Stand With Crypto in Phoenix last week, and the organization is now spreading its message to five battleground states before the election.
• Coinbase launched an advocacy group last year that is urging ABC News to include a question about digital assets during the upcoming debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.
• Over 2,000 people have signed a pre-drafted letter on the group's website.

Last week, a large purple bus emblazoned with "AMERICA ❤️ CRYPTO" began traveling through five key states in a bid to boost voter turnout before the upcoming presidential election.

The campaign, initiated by, aims to achieve a shorter-term goal: Asking a crypto question during Tuesday night's presidential debate.

The Stand With Crypto Alliance, established in 2020, launched a letter writing campaign on the fifth day to urge ABC News to include a cryptocurrency question in the upcoming presidential debate between Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Over 2,000 people have signed a pre-drafted letter on the group's website, which is hosting 2,500 debate watch parties across the country.

"The letter states that the writer is one of the 52 million Americans who own cryptocurrency and urges the candidates to disclose their stance on cryptocurrency and its role in the American economy."

Trump has positioned himself as a pro-crypto candidate, while Harris has not yet declared her stance on digital assets. The Biden administration's aggressive stance on the industry has opened up an opportunity for Trump.

The SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who has taken on companies including Coinbase, may be fired by Trump. The group is also supporting crypto-friendly politicians in Congress while pursuing more favorable laws. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act was passed by the House in May with the help of over 70 Democrats.

The House of Representatives has passed bipartisan crypto legislation, and more elected officials are publicly supporting crypto, according to the letter.

ABC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The alliance has given Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, "A" grades for their support of crypto, while for Harris and running mate Tim Walz, the group has given a grade of "N/A" and stated that their stance on crypto is pending.

The November election is viewed as a pivotal moment for the crypto sector, and many enthusiasts are showing their support by contributing funds. A Public Citizen report indicates that nearly half of all corporate donations during this election cycle have come from crypto companies.

The tour through battleground states by Stand With Crypto is focused on mobilizing voters rather than collecting funds. The organization has been striving to persuade presidential candidates to address the issue for several months.

The alliance previously sent 2,300 emails to CNN requesting a crypto-pegged question for the upcoming June debate between Trump and the presumptive Democratic nominee, but the network did not address the topic.

Through its voter registration tool, Stand with Crypto has enrolled 104,000 individuals, while also hosting concerts and giving speeches to large audiences.

Last Wednesday, the bus tour commenced in Phoenix, with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a former Democrat turned independent, delivering an impassioned speech to the crowd about the importance of electing lawmakers who are knowledgeable about cryptocurrencies.

"We must maintain a balanced approach to regulation that fosters industry growth and innovation," Sinema emphasized.

The bus journeyed to Las Vegas, where crypto enthusiasts were addressed by the state treasurer and chief of staff for the lieutenant governor. According to the alliance's data, 385,000 Nevadans own cryptocurrency, and over 16,000 individuals in the state have joined the Stand with Crypto movement.

The crypto bus will visit key swing states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, in the coming week. These states, along with Arizona and Nevada, are critical and up for grabs with less than two months until election day.

On Sept. 18 in Washington, D.C., a nightclub will host a final event featuring music duo The Chainsmokers and several top Coinbase execs, including Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal.

The movement hasn't entirely committed to Trump.

Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase policy head and a speaker at the D.C. event, stated on X that he was "pleased to participate in several discussions with the Harris team." He characterized the approach as "constructive" and emphasized that the dialogue was an "important first step."

Harris's campaign team has been meeting with crypto industry leaders for months, though she hasn't formally announced her campaign position on crypto.

"Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel of North Carolina stated in a July interview with CNBC on the sidelines of the largest bitcoin event of the year in Nashville that he believes Vice President Harris will soon address the issue and that a reset is necessary, which will have a significant impact."

At the time, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., stated that he had been communicating with the Harris team regarding the issue.

Since then, Democrats have become more vocal about their support for a crypto bill. During a virtual town hall in August, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that a crypto bill could potentially pass his chamber this year.