Introduction

Cryptocurrencies pose unique challenges and possibilities to legislators and oversight agencies working on political finance across the world. The use of these decentralized digital currencies is increasing in all realms, not least for political activities like campaign finance. The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies allows people to sidestep the banking system, creating anti-money laundering challenges. In addition, various cryptocurrencies allow for high levels of anonymity, opening avenues for political corruption and illicit finance. However, cryptocurrencies may also be useful in combating corruption by lowering transaction costs; some cryptocurrencies may even allow for lower level of anonymity and increase transparency, creating new tools to trace the finances of political actors.

This survey is designed to build our knowledge on the role of cryptocurrencies in political finance. It particularly focuses on the level of awareness and concern among key actors involved in political finance legislation, implementation and/or oversight in a selection of diverse countries across the world, including those with low and high levels of ICT adoption, as well as actors involved in the regulation and monitoring of cryptocurrencies in those countries. We also welcome the views from experts and practitioners from a regional or global perspective, in which case not all questions may be pertinent.

The survey will furthermore inform an upcoming discussion paper to be released by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The paper will focus on the threats and possibilities that cryptocurrencies may entail for the integrity of political systems and political finance, mitigating and preventative measures, and potential positive uses of this technology for political finance purposes. In this regard, this discussion paper will assist countries to progress towards realizing SDG 16.4.

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* 1. Select your country of origin:

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* 2. State your agency or institution.

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* 3. State your position and level of employment.

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* 4. Select your gender

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* 5. State your age

Current State of Cryptocurrencies in the Country

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* 6. Are you aware of the use of, or interest in, cryptocurrencies to finance political activities in your country (e.g. for private donations to political parties)?

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* 7. If yes, how significant would you classify the current usage of this technology in political finance?

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* 8. If no, do you think there is potential for this usage in political finance to grow in the near future? Yes/No, elaborate.

Current State of the Debate

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* 9. Are you aware of any debate about the use of cryptocurrencies to finance political activities within your organization or within your field of work?

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* 10. Are you aware of any interest from policy-makers in your country to regulate or reform existing regulations in relation to cryptocurrencies in general, and/or in the field of political finance in particular?

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* 11. Do you see a possible use of cryptocurrencies to improve political finance oversight in your country?

Regulatory Framework for Cryptocurrencies

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* 12. Are you aware of any regulatory restrictions or policies on trading in crytocurrencies in your country?

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* 13. Are there legal restrictions on trading cryptocurrencies for fiat (i.e. declared a legal tender but not backed by a commodity) or otherwise 'traditional' currency?

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* 14. How are cryptocurrencies treated by law?

Regulatory Framework for Cryptocurrencies to Finance Politics

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* 15. Is it legal to make donations to political parties/candidates using cryptocurrencies?

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* 16. If yes, is the gift treated as monetary donation or an in-kind donation?

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* 17. Is there a general requirement for public officials and/or political actors to declare their assets, including cryptocurrencies?

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* 18. If yes, to which agency, how often, and is it publicly accessible?

Oversight

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* 19. Is it clear which government institutions is tasked to oversee payments made in cryptocurrencies in general, or in relation to political actors in particular?

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* 20. If yes, which institution?

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* 21. How comprehensive are the oversight mechanisms for political financing through cryptocurrencies?

Suggestions for the Discussion Paper

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* 22. What sub-topics would you like to see discussed that can add value to the debate on cryptocurrencies in political finance?

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* 23. Do you have any suggestions on improvements on legal frameworks regarding this topic?

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* 24. Do you have any suggestions for improvements of oversight regarding this topic?

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* 25. Would you be interested to be consulted on the discussion paper as we move forward with its development (as a reviewer or in another capacity)?

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