A new political action committee (PAC) that represents crypto developers and seeks to insulate them from liability should their creations be misused launched on 3 Jun, as the crypto industry continues to expand its political efforts ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
Crypto Developers Launch PAC as Industry Seeks to Expand Influence in Washington
3 June 2026 - 20:26 CEST
By Jona Jaupi
The Defend Developers PAC (DDPAC) describes itself as the first hybrid PAC dedicated specifically to supporting lawmakers who back crypto developers, decentralized finance (DeFi) builders and blockchain technology. A hybrid PAC can both contribute directly to candidates, subject to federal limits, and raise unlimited funds for independent political spending.
The launch comes as lawmakers continue debating how crypto projects, blockchain networks and the people who build them should be regulated in the US. The CLARITY Act, a digital asset market structure bill, remains before Congress after months of negotiations involving crypto and banking industry lobbying groups.
The group argues that developers of decentralized software should not be held legally responsible for how third parties use the code they create.
"Crypto is nothing without the people building it," DDPAC founder Gavin Zavatone said in a statement. "For too long, developers building decentralized technologies have faced regulatory uncertainty and enforcement actions instead of clear rules and guidelines." Zavatone also serves as policy lead at DeFi Education Fund (DEF).
According to the organization's website, the PAC will support incumbent members of Congress who back blockchain development and decentralized technology. DDPAC's board includes leaders from several crypto organizations, including the DEF, Solana Policy Institute, Uniswap Labs and Orca Creative.
Crypto money plays a bigger role in politics
The launch comes as crypto companies and advocacy groups spend more money on elections and policy issues in Washington.
According to a review of Federal Election Commission filings by The Nation, super PACs funded by the cryptocurrency and AI industries have amassed more than $321mn during the 2026 election cycle. The report said the groups are spending millions backing candidates they view as supportive of their preferred regulatory approaches.
Industry-backed super PACs, including Fairshake, Protect Progress and Defend American Jobs, spent more than $133mn during the 2024 federal election cycle, according to OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan, non-profit research organization. Major donors included Coinbase, Ripple, Jump Crypto and Andreessen Horowitz.
Crypto-backed groups have also become more active in congressional races. In a recent Texas Democratic primary runoff, Fairshake-affiliated Protect Progress spent more than $4mn supporting Christian Menefee, who defeated longtime Congressman Al Green. Green had opposed several crypto-related bills, while Menefee received support from industry groups.
Sandmark reached out to DDPAC for additional comment but had not received a response by publication time.
