The Abolish Super PACs Act landed in both chambers of Congress this week, proposing a $5,000 cap on individual donations to super PACs. Sponsors U.S. Representative Summer Lee and Senator Bernie Sanders directly tied the bill to crypto-backed independent election expenditures, calling them a primary driver for the push. The legislation targets a campaign finance loophole that has drawn growing scrutiny as digital asset money floods into election ads.
What the bill does
The measure would slash the current unlimited donation limit for super PACs — which can accept millions from a single donor — down to a flat $5,000 per person. That cap applies both to direct contributions and to any crypto-denominated donations converted to election spending. The bill doesn't ban crypto donations outright, but it would sharply constrain the scale of such contributions by individual backers.
Why crypto is in the crosshairs
The sponsors made clear that the legislation is a direct response to the surge in crypto-funded super PAC activity. Independent expenditure groups have increasingly used digital assets to funnel money into congressional races, often with limited transparency. The Abolish Super PACs Act is designed to close that door. Neither Lee nor Sanders offered a quote, but the bill's text frames crypto-backed spending as an especially opaque channel that undermines existing disclosure rules.
Reception and next steps
The bill faces an uphill climb in a divided Congress. Even so, its introduction signals that the conversation around crypto in campaign finance is moving from niche concern to legislative action. Expect hearings in the coming weeks, though no committee assignments have been announced yet. For now, the clock is ticking on whether this session sees any movement — or if the bill stalls like so many campaign finance overhauls before it.
