Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party candidate for New York City mayor, has gained significant momentum by winning the Democratic primary with 43.5% of the vote. He will compete against Republican Curtis Sliwa and independent Andrew Cuomo in the November election. Notably, while Mamdani has criticized Cuomo's ties to a controversial crypto exchange, the other candidates have historically favored the cryptocurrency industry. Current NYC Mayor Eric Adams once stated his intention to accept his pay in Bitcoin and has actively promoted cryptocurrency initiatives. Sliwa's platform includes expanding crypto ATM access in the city. Following Mamdani's victory, prominent figures in the crypto industry, including Gemini's Cameron Winklevoss and Bitcoin advocate Anthony Pompliano, have voiced their opposition to him. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has expressed a willingness to support any challenger to Mamdani in the general election. The political landscape is complicated by New York's stringent crypto regulations enforced since 2015, which are likely to constrain any mayor’s ability to effect change on the crypto front without legislative backing.

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