The crypto industry has rallied behind pro-crypto U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis after she announced that she would not seek re-election in 2026.
A vocal advocate for digital assets, Lummis has played a key role in US crypto policy discussions over the past few years and is widely respected across the crypto industry.
“Without her fight in Congress, cryptocurrencies would not be where they are today,” Colin McCune, head of government affairs at venture capital a16z, told XPost on Friday.
David Sachs says Lummis has been a “great ally on cryptocurrencies”
Greg Zetaris, general partner at crypto investment firm Multicoin, agreed, saying, “Sometimes it takes ranchers like Sen Lumis to drive good policy, so her priorities are moving forward so far.”
Mr. Lummis was a vocal critic of former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler’s enforcement regulatory approach to cryptocurrencies during the Joe Biden administration, and was a leading proponent of the Responsible Financial Innovation Act and ongoing U.S. Transparency Act proposals aimed at clarifying regulations for digital assets.
In a Friday announcement about X that has garnered nearly 1 million views, Lummis said she doesn’t have “six more years” left. “I’m a devout lawmaker, but I feel like a marathon sprinter. The energy required is disproportionate,” she said.
Support for Lummis also came from within the White House. David Sachs, the White House AI and crypto czar, described Lummis as a “great ally on cryptocurrencies,” adding, “We will be very sad to see her go.”
Bitcoin advocate and Coin Stories host Natalie Brunel also paid tribute, thanking Lummis for her “contributions and helping advance the cause of Bitcoin.” “I wish you a great next chapter,” Brunel said.
Cryptocurrency VC says “work is not done” after Lummis’s announcement
Despite Lummis’ decision to step down, industry officials say the policy effort is far from over. “The work is not done yet. We need to pass the bill in 2026,” said Kyle Samani, managing partner at Multicoin.
Related: U.S. Senate approves crypto supporter Selig to head CFTC and Hill to head FDIC
Lummis’ announcement came a day after Sachs said Congress could move on the long-awaited American Transparency Act as early as January.
“We are closer than ever to passing the landmark crypto market structure bill that President Trump has been calling for,” Sachs said Thursday.
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