U.S. Midterm Elections » Polls: Over 60% of voters do not trust Trump to regulate cryptocurrencies

Author: Ariel, Crypto City

2026 Midterm Election Polls: Voters Mostly Distrust Trump’s Oversight of Cryptocurrency Regulation
In the last election, the Trump administration made cryptocurrency policy one of its main campaign issues, which caused quite a stir in the crypto community at the time, and with Trump’s inauguration, triggered a bull market that saw Bitcoin rapidly break through $69,000, reaching a historic high of over $120k in 2025.
However, a year has passed, and with the intertwining interests of the Trump family and the crypto industry, as well as the stalemate over U.S. crypto regulation legislation, some American voters’ opinions have shifted significantly.
According to the latest poll commissioned by foreign media outlet CoinDesk and public opinion strategy firm Public Opinion Strategies, up to 62% of American voters do not trust the Trump administration’s regulation of the crypto industry, with a statistical confidence interval (sampling error) of approximately ±3.53%.
Trump once promised to make the U.S. the crypto capital, but the poll indicates that 45% of respondents are aware that the president’s family has personal interests in the industry, including holdings in the World Liberty Finance (WLF). 73% of the public oppose senior officials having commercial dealings in the industry, even among Republican voters, 59% find it unacceptable.
The crypto industry is currently pushing the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, but the Democratic Party demands including provisions to prohibit senior officials from engaging in the crypto industry.
This survey of 1,000 registered voters shows that satisfaction with the Trump government’s performance has fallen to 40%. Respondents supported Trump and Kamala Harris equally in the last election, indicating some supporters’ attitudes have shifted.

Voters prioritize economic and livelihood issues, with crypto falling to the bottom
Another survey shows that, on the eve of the 2026 midterm elections, only 1% of respondents list cryptocurrency as their top concern.
The most important issue for the public is cost of living at 36%, followed by employment and the economy at 13%, social security and healthcare at 11%, and AI topics at 2%.
Most respondents hold negative attitudes toward cryptocurrencies. Among those leaning Republican, 41% have a favorable view, while 39% are unfavorable; among Democratic-leaning voters, as many as 54% are unfavorable.
27% of respondents have invested in cryptocurrencies, and another 27% say they might try in the future. Among those who have invested, only 2% hold over $10,000 in digital assets.
47% of respondents believe that the Republican Party, to which Trump belongs, is more supportive of the crypto industry, but trust in both parties remains low, below 30%, with as many as 40% saying they distrust both parties.

Trust in traditional finance still leads, but concerns over crypto’s negative impacts grow
On the other hand, when accessing financial services, most Americans still tend to trust the traditional financial system.
CoinDesk’s survey indicates that, in terms of financial inclusion, 65% of respondents trust banks, while only 5% trust cryptocurrencies.
Although 52% believe the crypto wave will not fade, 60% think it will have a negative impact on the economy, and 53% say recent news has worsened their impression of the industry.
The survey also shows that those over 45 are most likely to hold negative views of the crypto industry, while acceptance among men, Republicans, and minorities remains relatively stable.
In the AI realm, a similar trend appears. 55% of respondents believe that AI risks outweigh its benefits. However, among crypto holders, 64% support AI development, believing that pursuing AI is worth the risk.

Voters’ trust in crypto remains low, industry still has a long way to go
Overall, despite the crypto industry investing hundreds of millions of dollars in political donations and lobbying in Washington, and high hopes of pushing favorable regulation bills, the American public’s acceptance and trust in the sector remain low.
Voters rely far more on traditional banking systems than on cryptocurrencies, and are also highly skeptical of potential conflicts of interest in how the Trump administration handles regulation.
Against the backdrop of aging voters’ distrust and ongoing negative news, if the crypto industry truly wants to mainstream and exert real influence on the 2026 midterm elections and future policy initiatives, it must first address the massive trust deficit among the American public.