According to the author, the increasing political involvement of crypto firms like Coinbase and Ripple threatens the core cypherpunk principles of decentralization and could heighten regulatory risks, potentially destabilizing markets for cryptocurrencies such as BTC and XRP. The author cites examples including Coinbase's sponsorship of political events and Ripple's lobbying efforts as signs of co-option that may erode investor trust and invite stricter oversight, leading to price volatility in key assets like BTC and XRP based on the article's analysis.