Kamala Harris says US should become 'dominant' in blockchain, reiterates 'digital assets' in economic plan

Reported by The Block: Harris said Wednesday that under her leadership, the United States will “recommit” to global leadership in the sectors that “define the next century,” specifically mentioning the word blockchain.

Unlike Donald Trump, the Democratic presidential nominee has been mum about cryptocurrency on the campaign trail.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Wednesday that under her leadership, the United States will "recommit" to global leadership in the sector that define the next century "remain dominant in AI and quantum computing, blockchain and other emerging technologies."  Her comments came during a speech addressing The Economic Club of Pittsburgh.

Until this past weekend, the Democratic presidential nominee has been mum about cryptocurrency on the campaign trail.  During a Wall Street fundraiser in Manhattan, Harris said AI and crypto are a part of her vision of an "opportunity economy."

"We will encourage innovative technologies like AI and digital assets while protecting consumers and investors.  We will create a safe business environment with consistent and transparent rules of the road," Harris said during the fundraiser.  She reiterated that sentiment Wednesday in her 80-page economic plan.

While incremental, it's a welcome sign for the crypto industry that has so far been feted by Republican nominee Donald Trump for the better part of the year.  Most recently, Trump visited Bitcoin-themed bar PubKey in New York City and his family's World Liberty Financial project confirmed there will be a token sale.

VanEck analysts said the outcome of the November election could be a mixed bag for crypto.

"We think that while Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are bullish for Bitcoin, each presents more nuanced implications for the broader digital asset markets," the analysts wrote earlier this week. "Both administrations will likely maintain fiscal spending if not further accelerate, which could lead to further quantitative easing — especially if exacerbated by anti-business policies."

They noted a Harris presidency might be even better for Bitcoin because it would "accelerate many of the structural issues that drive Bitcoin adoption in the first place."