More and more politicians in the United States are heating up the crypto industry, wanting to allow digital assets to be used for payments.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said he is working on a plan to allow businesses to pay their taxes using cryptocurrencies.
Speaking at a convention on March 22, the potential 2024 Republican presidential nominee said:
“I asked state agencies to find out if a business wants Florida to pay tax in cryptocurrency we must be willing to accept.”
In December, DeSantis proposed an initiative to allow businesses to pay state fees in cryptocurrencies, according to Bloomberg.
digital dollar concerns
State governors are embracing Florida’s move to become a regional crypto and blockchain hub. He joins the likes of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, also a bitcoin advocate, who previously said he would take his salary in BTC.
Florida gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried has also embraced digital assets by accepting crypto donations for her campaign.
DeSantis has expressed concern over President Biden’s executive order on crypto and a central bank digital currency signed earlier this month. He acknowledged that there was a big difference between a decentralized currency like bitcoin and a central bank-issued digital dollar, saying:
“I think there’s a lot of danger with it, when it’s centrally controlled. I worry about the power that would enable someone in a central authority to shut down access to basically buy some stuff.” . We will be in uncharted territory.”
He is not alone with these concerns as Congressman Tom Emmer of Minnesota has also warned against CBDCs, saying that a Fed-controlled digital dollar would create China-like authoritarian controls on people’s finances.
Pro-crypto politicians on the rise
A young crop of politicians are now entering the profession, but a growing number of them are pro-innovation and digital assets.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams also got his paychecks in crypto, while Jackson, Tennessee, Mayor Scott Conger said employees can add crypto to their retirement plans.
Naturally, there are still veterans and critics like Senator Elizabeth Warren who want nothing more than to crush the cryptocurrency industry altogether. Fortunately, these technophobes and digital dinosaurs will soon be replaced by a more forward-looking generation of policymakers such as DeSantis and Suarez looking for a younger vote base.