Ripple Labs has <a href="https://x.com/bgarlinghouse/status/1861418224782581966" target="_blank">kicked in another $25 million</a> to the cryptocurrency industry's Fairshake political action committee, one of the most aggressive and high-dollar campaign-finance operations in corporate history.
The super PAC has made an unprecedented head start on the 2026 election cycle. Between Ripple, crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Fairshake has amassed $73 million in fresh commitments. That's on top of $30 million held over from the 2024 cycle.
The PAC is still awaiting the results in one U.S. congressional contest in the Nov. 5 elections, but Fairshake's track record includes backing at least 53 members of next year's Congress.
"Fairshake is the most successful multi-candidate, bipartisan super PAC in American history," Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse posted Tuesday on X (formerly Twitter). "Electing pro-crypto, pro-growth and pro-innovation candidates is a no-brainer, and to continue that momentum, Ripple is contributing another $25M to Fairshake."
The $103 million war chest makes Fairshake an unmatched political force to influence the session beginning in 2027, more than two years and a whole congressional cycle from now.
Ripple, Coinbase and a16z made up the vast bulk of resources Fairshake devoted to congressional races in an attempt to ensure pro-digital assets candidates would pass legislation during the session beginning in January. The industry has waited for years for the U.S. government to clarify its rules for this sector, and the resulting uncertainty has left a lot of potential business on the sidelines.
None of the three companies <a href="https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2024/06/26/crypto-giants-notch-wins-in-expensive-quest-to-sway-us-politics-without-mentioning-crypto" target="_blank">will comment on how decisions are made </a>in the operation of Fairshake, nor how they guide the super PAC's strategy. But Fairshake's spokesman, Josh Vlasto, has said the political strategy is a transparent support of crypto advocates from either party who are willing to work across the aisle on legislation.
Each of the three companies has now participated in three rounds of funding for the PAC, each at approximately the same level. The other two had already jumped into the post-election support, and Ripple is now joining them, bringing the company's overall support to about $73 million.
