The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is raising alarms over what it calls “ideological enforcement” in the digital economy after cryptocurrency company Circle Internet Group—the issuer of the U.S. Dollar Coin (USDC)—quietly prohibited using its stablecoin to purchase firearms or ammunition.
In an Oct. 20 column, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Larry Keane said Circle’s published terms of service explicitly ban transactions involving “weapons of any kind, including but not limited to firearms, ammunition, knives, explosives, or related accessories.”
2A Rights Face a New Threat: Ideological Gatekeeping by Crypto Companies by @lkeane | Read it on the NSSF Blog https://t.co/SQY8pjeNpt
— NSSF—The Firearm Industry Trade Association (@NSSF) October 20, 2025
Keane called the restriction “ideological enforcement”, not consumer protection, and compared it to the same type of financial discrimination NSSF has fought against for years. “For America’s firearm owners and retailers, Circle’s rules about how their cryptocurrency can be used should sound alarm bells,” Keane wrote.
He emphasized that firearm ownership is a constitutional right, adding that Circle’s prohibition effectively injects “political views into the marketplace.” Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire, a major Democratic donor, has given thousands of dollars to pro-gun-control politicians, including U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), according to Federal Election Commission filings.
After NSSF posted about the issue on X, Circle provided a statement to the organization attempting to clarify its policy. Keane noted the response appeared “rushed” and contained a grammatical error in the opening sentence.
While Circle indicated it may revisit the restriction, Keane cautioned gun owners and retailers to take a “trust, but verify” approach, quoting President Reagan. “Words alone are not enough,” Keane said. “The proof will be in the policy changes – and in whether those changes ensure that Second Amendment commerce is treated fairly within the digital economy.”
Keane warned that Circle’s actions reflect a growing pattern of ideological enforcement within financial services—where corporations restrict lawful commerce under the guise of “risk management.”
“Americans have long accepted that payment providers must comply with laws against fraud, money laundering and terrorism,” Keane wrote. “But prohibiting the purchase of lawful products like firearms, ammunition or knives goes far beyond those legal requirements.”
As digital finance expands, Keane said decisions by a small number of private companies—or a future government-issued Central Bank Digital Currency—could determine which industries are permitted to operate.
“NSSF will continue to monitor Circle’s actions closely,” Keane concluded. “Freedom cannot survive if your financial tools are turned against you and your Second Amendment rights.”
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