Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss donated 188.4547 Bitcoin (BTC) worth $21 million to establish a new political action committee.
Tyler announced the Digital Freedom Fund PAC on Aug. 20, positioning the group as a vehicle to “help realize President Donald Trump’s vision of making America the crypto capital of the world.”
The PAC plans to identify and support candidates championing Trump’s crypto agenda in primary races and midterm elections. The support will particularly target races that could determine congressional control.
Tyler added:
“If the Republicans lose either the House or Senate in the midterms on Nov. 3, 2026, then Democrats will have power to slow down and interfere with President Trump’s agenda.”
He noted the PAC’s focus on maintaining Republican control to continue what he termed the “American Golden Age.”
The move represents one of the largest crypto donations to a political action committee as the industry prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.
Focus on regulatory framework
The PAC advocates for “thoughtful Market Structure legislation” through what Winklevoss describes as a “Skinny Market Structure Bill” designed to avoid regulatory overreach.
The proposed legislation encompasses six key components, including a “Bitcoin and Crypto Bill of Rights” codifying ownership, self-custody, and peer-to-peer transaction rights.
Software developer protections rank among the PAC’s priorities, with Winklevoss drawing parallels to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which provided legal immunity for online platforms.
Tyler said that similar protections would allow crypto innovation to flourish by shielding code writers from liability.
The Digital Freedom Fund opposes Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), characterizing these assets as “totalitarian technologies” that enable government overreach.
Additional priorities include ensuring fair access to banking protections, promoting open banking, and mandating rulemaking requirements for financial regulators to accommodate crypto businesses.
Support for initiatives from regulators
The PAC supports SEC Chairman Paul Atkins’ “Project Crypto” initiative and CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline Pham’s “Crypto Sprint” implementation. Both initiatives stem from recommendations in the July 2025 Presidential Working Group report on digital financial technology.
Winklevoss positioned these regulatory efforts as watershed moments for the crypto industry, describing Atkins’ approach as “everything we had ever hoped for and more.”
Tyler advocated for rejecting regulatory capture, comparing crypto startup costs to company registration differences between the US and Haiti.
He argued that regulatory processes should remain accessible to “any startup, including those founded in a dorm room or garage, not just deep-pocketed incumbents.”
The PAC’s announcement did not identify additional leadership members or organizational partners. However, Winklevoss indicated plans to collaborate with similarly aligned pro-cryptocurrency groups on issues including de minimis tax exemptions for digital asset transactions.
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