Crypto, AI, and online betting firms are driving a record $517 million in corporate election spending

Crypto firms, artificial intelligence companies, and online gambling businesses are behind a $517 million of corporate election spending focused on the 2026 U.S. races.

Public Citizen’s data claims that U.S. companies put that sum into House and Senate contests during the 15 months through the first quarter, surpassing the $461 million corporations spent across the full two-year 2024 election cycle.

Even more cash is expected before voting on November 3, when Democrats will try to control both chambers. The businesses sending the largest checks are not the traditional powers that dominated political money in Washington for decades.

Crypto, tech, and betting firms route huge sums through expanding political networks

Companies and billionaire founders can send funds into super PACs, affiliated PACs supported by those groups, and nonprofit organizations that need not reveal donors. Some donors fund several parts of those networks while also giving separately to individual politicians.

Super PACs can raise unlimited sums of money, but they cannot hand those funds directly to candidates or coordinate what they do with campaigns. Instead, they can buy political ads, finance voter turnout efforts, and fund campaign events and rallies.

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