Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) will be the first presidential candidate in United States history to accept campaign donations with Bitcoin, making his first appearance as a presidential candidate at the crypto conference. He praised the cryptocurrency as a “symbol of democracy and freedom” during the event. 

“Today we show the world the power and the durability and the flexibility of Bitcoin. […] Almost everyone in this room is aware of the link between Bitcoin and democracy and freedom. […] They’re passionate because of the deep representation of a deep need that we have for liberty and democracy, and the promise that this innovation has to guarantee those virtues.”

The candidate — who is challenging Joe Biden — has been sharing his libertarian views about cryptocurrencies on Twitter. In a post on May 3, RFK stated that “crypto technologies are a major innovation engine,” adding that the United States is hobbling the industry and driving “innovation elsewhere.” 

This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.