CLARITY Act Stalls as Senate Delays Vote

The CLARITY Act, aimed at setting rules for the US crypto market structure, faced significant delays in 2026 despite its strong House passage in 2025. The bill, which had garnered bipartisan support with a 294-134 vote, was expected to become law but stalled in negotiations over issues like DeFi oversight and anti-money laundering rules.

January 2026 saw the first delay as a Senate Banking Committee markup scheduled for January 15 was postponed until the final week of the month. The goal was to build more bipartisan support and resolve disagreements before moving toward a Senate vote.

By April, House Financial Services Chairman French Hill called the period ahead a critical window for Senate action, but the schedule slipped again. A major milestone finally came on May 14 when the Senate Banking Committee passed CLARITY 15-9, with all 13 Republicans voting in favor along with two Democrats.

However, committee approval was not enough to guarantee passage on the Senate floor. Senator Bernie Moreno pushed for a vote before the summer recess, while Senator Cynthia Lummis warned that another major delay could push comprehensive crypto legislation much further out.