Vitalik Buterin, widely seen as Ethereum’s intellectual leader, has expressed a cautionary view on supporting political candidates solely based on their pro-crypto stance, contrasting sharply with the pro-Trump rhetoric of other prominent crypto figures.

In his blog, Buterin argued that supporting candidates merely for their positive stance on cryptocurrency creates a problematic incentive. “By publicly giving the impression that you support ‘pro-crypto’ candidates just because they are ‘pro-crypto,’ you are helping to create an incentive gradient where politicians come to understand that all they need to get your support is to support ‘crypto,'” he wrote on Wednesday.

Buterin highlighted a growing trend within the crypto community to align politically based on candidates’ attitudes toward crypto, emphasizing the risks involved. “There is a growing push within the crypto space to become more politically active, and favor political parties and candidates almost entirely on whether or not they are willing to be lenient and friendly to ‘crypto,'” he added. “In this post, I argue against this trend, and in particular I argue that making decisions in this way carries a high risk of going against the values that brought you into the crypto space in the first place.”

His comments come as other well-known crypto figures, such as Ryan Selkis, co-founder of the crypto information platform Messari, vocally support Donald Trump’s presidential run. Selkis, a self-described “single-issue voter,” favors Trump over incumbent Joe Biden because of Trump’s favorable comments on crypto. Selkis even attended a recent gala at Mar-a-Lago where Trump promoted his NFT collection and expressed his newfound support for digital assets.

Meanwhile, Coinbase, a major U.S.-based crypto exchange, has become a significant player in political donations through its Fairshake PAC. The crypto industry now wields considerable financial influence in elections, with the goal of electing politicians who will create a more favorable environment for crypto businesses in the U.S.

Source: Coindesk