clarity

The head of research at digital asset management company Grayscale, Zach Pandl, stated in an analysis that even if Congress fails to pass the CLARITY Act this year, U.S. crypto regulation can still advance in areas such as stablecoins, token issuance, tokenized securities, and perpetual futures.U.S. President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act on July 18, 2025, establishing a regulatory framework for the issuance of payment stablecoins. The act requires issuers to provide sufficient reserves and publicly disclose the composition of reserves monthly, prohibiting misleading claims that tokens are federally insured, backed by the U.S. government, or considered legal tender. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed Regulation Crypto Assets, which aims to allow eligible projects to raise no more than $5 million over four years, or no more than $75 million every 12 months. Relevant exemptions and investment contract safe harbors are still in the proposal stage, with the public comment submission deadline set for October 20.The recent procedural milestone for the CLARITY Act was the termination debate vote on the motion to advance held on September 15, which requires 60 votes to pass and is not the final vote. Grayscale stated that the act would still help clarify the division of regulatory authority between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), but its failure to pass would not halt the regulatory measures already in progress.

According to Forbes, Patrick Witt, the executive director of the Digital Asset Advisory Committee of President Trump, told Semafor that the window of opportunity for the Clarity Act is closing, and if the procedural vote next week fails, "no one can say when the bill will have another chance."Witt stated that a failed motion vote will not yield the desired results for anyone and called for bipartisan support for the bill: "Join this bill, and let's continue the conversation." The bill is scheduled for a procedural vote on September 15.

Grayscale's research director Zach Pandl stated that the U.S. CLARITY Act, aimed at establishing comprehensive rules for the cryptocurrency market, will face a procedural vote in the Senate on September 15, requiring 60 votes in support. With the Republican Party currently holding 53 seats, the advancement of this bill still requires Democratic support, and market predictions indicate a low probability of its passage by 2026.However, Grayscale believes that even if the CLARITY Act fails to pass within the year, progress in U.S. cryptocurrency regulation will not stagnate. Regulatory frameworks in areas such as stablecoins, token issuance, tokenized securities, and perpetual futures have gradually become clearer. Among them, the GENIUS Act has established a federal framework for payment stablecoins, the proposed rules by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission may provide a clearer path for token financing, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has also opened regulated channels for perpetual futures through Kalshi and Coinbase.

Crypto In America host Eleanor Terrett stated on X that the Republican Party of the U.S. Senate has released an updated text of the Clarity bill, reflecting changes from negotiations during the August recess.She noted that the ethical provisions section appears unchanged, and the provisions related to BRCA and stablecoin earnings remain the same.Changes include: requiring non-decentralized DeFi protocols to register with the CFTC, which aligns with Section 10301 of the Banking Committee's part of the bill; limiting DeFi provisions to spot or cash digital commodity trading, seemingly aimed at addressing tribal concerns about blockchain-based prediction markets; and clarifying the authority of credit unions to handle crypto assets.

Bitcoin Magazine reported that White House advisor Patrick Witt stated that they have made progress on all concerns regarding the Clarity Act bill.Witt said, "Feeling pretty good about this."

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis stated that the recent lawsuit against Tether for freezing $42.4 million in USDT highlights the regulatory gaps in the current crackdown on illegal financial activities in the cryptocurrency industry. She pointed out that stablecoin issuers and trading platforms may face civil litigation risks if they freeze related assets due to suspicions of illegal activities.Lummis indicated that Section 305 of the "Digital Asset Market Structure Clear Act" would grant stablecoin issuers and trading platforms the necessary authority to promptly freeze stablecoins suspected of being involved in illegal activities while avoiding civil liability as a result.She believes that this provision can help the cryptocurrency industry more effectively prevent the flow of illegal funds and address the legal risks faced by issuers and trading platforms when taking compliance measures.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated that regardless of the outcome of the U.S. Senate vote on the Clarity Act on September 15, the cryptocurrency industry will gain regulatory clarity. In an interview with CNBC, he mentioned that if the bill passes, the industry will receive legislative support; even if it does not pass, the SEC and CFTC have indicated their readiness to issue rules, and the industry will still gain regulatory clarity around the time of the vote.The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act aims to establish a federal regulatory framework for cryptocurrency exchanges, brokers, and stablecoins by dividing token regulatory authority between the SEC and CFTC. Armstrong noted that the bill has broad bipartisan and industry support, with law enforcement agencies, banks, and cryptocurrency companies all expressing their backing. Key issues previously raised by Coinbase have been resolved. The only outstanding matter is the ethical provisions concerning elected officials holding digital assets; the White House has proposed a plan that includes strong ethical clauses, while Democrats are pushing for further measures, including mandatory asset divestiture, with both sides nearing a resolution.In response to JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon's criticism regarding Coinbase's regulatory arbitrage using the bill's stablecoin provisions, Armstrong remarked that critics with large payment businesses are facing "competitive issues" and are "speaking for themselves." He also stated that Goldman Sachs, Bank of New York Mellon, and Fidelity all support the bill.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posted on the X platform, strongly urging the Senate to advance the legislative process of the cryptocurrency Clarity Act after the August recess. He stated that the bill would prevent "bad actors" from exploiting important digital asset technologies and called on all parties to stay at the negotiating table, agree to procedural motions, and continue the legislative process.Bessent warned that failing to pass the bill would send a troubling signal to allies and adversaries, indicating that the U.S. is unwilling to lead the future of digital assets and is willing to forgo national security tools to combat the abuse of digital assets. In July of this year, Bessent stated that if one wants to stand on the side of "American exceptionalism," the Clarity Act must be passed, citing remarks from Satoshi Nakamoto.The Clarity Act was passed by the House last year and aims to establish a regulatory framework that clearly delineates the regulatory classification of digital assets as securities, commodities, or stablecoins. The bill has stalled this year due to disagreements between banking lobbyists and cryptocurrency companies over stablecoin revenue issues. A new draft in July prohibits government officials from promoting cryptocurrencies or profiting from them, but some Democrats still believe the bill is inadequate and demand amendments. President Trump also urged lawmakers to push the bill through.

The head of government affairs at Paradigm stated that the external view that the Clarity Act is almost hopeless to pass is not credible. The related pessimistic rhetoric mostly comes from anonymous staff members who did not participate in the core negotiations (intending to guide public opinion), or from legislators using the media to voice their demands, pressuring the White House and Senate leadership to meet their own requests.Major banks plan to invest heavily in lobbying and advertising next week; if the bill is doomed to fail, the banks would not invest such resources. The time window is indeed tight: the Senate reconvenes on Monday, and the House will recess on Friday in five days. However, the bill is far from dead. Those who assert that the bill has no chance are either seeking attention or trying to create a predetermined narrative of "bill failure."

U.S. Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis has once again criticized the Democrats for delaying the much-anticipated Clarity Act. Lummis stated in response to a Semafor report on the X platform that if the bill fails, the responsibility lies with the Democrats for failing to join Republicans in supporting this bipartisan legislation. She pointed out that the Democrats' continued demands for amendments could lead future regulatory agencies to "stifle the crypto industry." Lummis added that if the differences can be bridged, she believes the Clarity Act could pass, but this requires further compromise from the Democrats, rather than concessions from the White House. Lummis had previously stated that if the bill fails, it will be due to the Democrats. The U.S. Senate is set to hold a procedural vote on the bill next week, and Lummis warned that if it does not pass next week, there will be no realistic opportunity within this decade. The Clarity Act aims to formally delineate the responsibilities of regulatory agencies and distinguish whether digital assets are classified as securities, commodities, or stablecoins. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives last July but was shelved due to conflicts between banking lobbyists and crypto companies over customer stablecoin yield issues. A new draft circulating in July prohibits government officials from promoting or profiting from crypto, with Democrats criticizing the Trump family for venturing into this area, yet still deeming the bill insufficient and calling for amendments.

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis stated that if the Clarity Act fails to pass in this Congress, the next real opportunity to reintroduce market structure legislation will not come until 2030. Completing this work now could prevent wasting job opportunities, investments, and tax revenue in the coming years.

According to CoinDesk, the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) sent a letter to Senate leadership on Thursday, announcing a shift in its position on the Clarity Act from opposition to neutrality. Association President Troy Wellman and Executive Director Justin Smith stated in their letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that, given the complexity of the bill and the significant details still under review, the most appropriate course of action is to take a step back and allow the legislative process to continue in order to establish a clear, effective, and urgently needed regulatory framework.Previously, the NSA had sent a letter to the Senate Banking Committee in May, warning that Section 604 of the bill would grant "blanket exemptions" to mixers, tumblers, and DeFi platforms from anti-money laundering rules, and stated that individuals might exploit evolving software, algorithms, and AI agents to transfer digital assets without tracking or accountability, engaging in activities such as money laundering, financing terrorism, and evading sanctions. A month after that letter was sent, the White House invited law enforcement organizations expressing concerns about the cryptocurrency market structure bill to meet and discuss how to address the bill's controversies regarding the prevention of illegal finance. Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger also criticized the NSA's opposition stance in a July column, calling the bill "the most significant consumer protection measure in years."The NSA's shift to neutrality removes one of the most outspoken critics from the law enforcement community ahead of the September vote on the bill.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer stated that the House has completed its work related to the structure of the cryptocurrency market and is pressuring the Senate to take action on the CLARITY Act. Emmer said, "The Senate must get this done."

Circle President and former CFTC Chairman Heath Tarbert stated at a hearing of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee that the GENIUS Act has established a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, equivalent to building a "dollar layer" for the internet financial system. He urged Congress to next pass the CLARITY Act to complete the long-term regulatory framework for the "market layer" of digital assets.In addition, Tarbert also urged that the final implementation rules of the GENIUS Act should close the regulatory arbitrage space for offshore stablecoins, requiring intermediary institutions that actually serve U.S. customers to be subject to corresponding restrictions, and ensuring that foreign stablecoin issuers meet truly comparable regulatory standards.

Paul Atkins, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), stated that he expects the highly anticipated Clarity Act to pass in the Senate this month, and he mentioned that the U.S. is likely to become the "capital of crypto." In an interview with Fox Business, Atkins confirmed that the bill will be voted on in the Senate on September 15, and he anticipates that it will pass and ultimately be sent to the president for signing.Atkins stated that regulators are pushing for relevant rules to help the crypto industry develop, saying, "We are changing past practices to update rules to adapt to the era of blockchain and crypto assets." Last week, the SEC submitted a proposal to the White House aimed at clarifying the custody framework for crypto assets for investment advisors and companies.The Clarity Act aims to establish a regulatory framework that distinguishes whether digital assets are securities, commodities, or stablecoins. The bill passed in the House last year, but has been stalled for most of this year due to disagreements between banking lobbyists and crypto companies over issues such as whether platforms like Coinbase can pay clients returns. Some lawmakers attempted to modify the language regarding ethical standards in the bill, while a new bill has been circulating since July that prohibits government officials from promoting crypto assets and profiting from them. However, some Democratic lawmakers believe the relevant provisions are still inadequate, while several pro-crypto Republican lawmakers have accused Democrats of deliberately playing politics and delaying the bill's progress.

Bitcoin News posted on platform X that the U.S. Senate plans to hold a key procedural vote on the CLARITY Act on September 15. This vote to end debate requires 60 votes in support; if it passes, the Senate will move forward with the formal consideration of the bill, but this does not mean the bill will ultimately pass.The CLARITY Act aims to establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework for the digital asset market. Meanwhile, Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael Selig stated that the agency can use its existing authority to advance limited cryptocurrency regulation, but this authority cannot replace the broader framework currently under consideration by Congress.

According to News.bitcoin, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), which has about 5,000 community banks, opposes the CLARITY Act, emphasizing that there is no room for compromise on the issue of stablecoin rewards. ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey stated that the "loopholes" related to stablecoin rewards must be completely closed, and there is no compromise solution. ICBA claims that stablecoins could lead to $1.3 trillion in deposits leaving the banking system and reduce local lending by $850 billion.Rebeca Romero Rainey indicated that there are no signs that cryptocurrencies will replace these deposits and reinvest them back into local communities. She also criticized the report titled "Impact of the Stablecoin Reward Ban on Bank Lending" released by the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) for downplaying banks' concerns about deposit outflows. The Senate plans to vote on the CLARITY Act on September 15; if it fails to gain the support of at least 60 senators, the bill will not proceed to further consideration and may halt progress for the foreseeable future.

Brian Armstrong posted on the X platform, stating that one of the simplest ways to explain cryptocurrency is: cryptocurrency offers faster, cheaper, and more efficient financial services. The traditional financial system was born around the 1970s and, in some cases, still operates on outdated mainframes to this day.This is also the reason why basic functions like weekend transfers or low-cost wire transfers are still not achievable. The United States needs to pass the Clarity Act to provide clear rules to guide the industry, rather than allowing outdated systems and uncertainty to prevail.