The attempt to establish clear rules for the cryptocurrency market in the USA is stalled again. The CLARITY Act will not go to a vote in the Senate this year. Now lawmakers are directly mentioning the beginning of 2026 as the earliest timeframe when discussions might progress. The market was expecting movement this winter. But instead, it received yet another pause.
The law is not ready for a vote
A member of the Senate Banking Committee stated that the document is still far from the final version. According to him, the negotiations have made progress only on individual points, while key disagreements remain unresolved.
Because of this, the Senate is not ready to move on to marking and voting. The planned consideration at the end of the year has effectively been canceled, and the window for passing the law has shifted at least to January 2026.
For the industry, this is not the first delay. Each of them increases the uncertainty around the status of digital assets in the USA.
The committee promised to return to the topic in 2026
The head of the banking committee confirmed that work on the document will resume at the beginning of next year. At the same time, he emphasized that, despite the different titles in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the law is considered a single project concerning the structure of the crypto market.
He attributed the delay to political disagreements within the Senate. In his estimation, it is the resistance from Democrats that has frozen the process, despite preliminary agreements.
Nevertheless, optimism is formally maintained. The committee hopes to return to discussions and try to bring the law to a vote in the first half of 2026.
DeFi has become the main sticking point
The main conflict has unfolded around the regulation of decentralized finance. There is a general consensus on the need for clear rules, but views on the depth of control differ.
In the fall, Democrats proposed a separate bill on DeFi, providing for user identification and enhanced measures to combat money laundering. This caused a sharp reaction from the industry and some Republicans.
Critics stated that such requirements would effectively kill DeFi in the USA and force projects to relocate abroad. In their opinion, excessive pressure does not increase investor protection but merely reduces the competitiveness of the American market.
The policy has intensified the deadlock
Negotiations are complicated not only by regulatory disputes but also by the political background. A number of Democrats believe that advancing laws may indirectly benefit the business interests of Donald Trump.
Arguments include projects related to the Trump family, including a meme token, the DeFi platform World Liberty Financial, and the mining company American Bitcoin. These factors have turned the discussion of the law into part of a broader political struggle.
One of the representatives of the Democratic Party previously stated that the adoption of such laws would make Congress an accomplice to 'crypto-corruption', which clearly shows the level of tension around the topic.
What next?
As of now, the CLARITY Act remains in limbo. There is no consensus on DeFi, the powers of regulators, and political risks.
For the market, this means at least several more months of uncertainty. The question of the structure of the crypto market in the USA remains open, and the final decision, it seems, is postponed until 2026 — without guarantees that even then the process will go smoothly.
