Headline: Trump-related ethics dispute emerges as biggest roadblock to CLARITY Act reaching 60 votes The fight over an ethics clause tied to former President Trump’s crypto interests has become the most consequential unresolved issue standing between the CLARITY Act and the 60 votes needed to overcome a Senate filibuster. Why it matters - Republicans hold 53 Senate seats, so the bill needs at least seven Democrats to join for cloture. Analysts and lawmakers say the absence of a conflict-of-interest provision could sink that bipartisan support. - The CLARITY Act’s current 309-page draft contains no conflict-of-interest language — a gap attributed to the Senate Banking Committee’s jurisdictional limits. Key flashpoints - Senators and activists point to Trump family involvement in World Liberty Financial and the TRUMP memecoin as the driving concerns behind calls for an ethics barrier. - An amendment from Senator Chris Van Hollen that would have barred senior government officials from holding crypto business interests failed in committee by an 11–13 vote. Voices from the debate - Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat who has supported crypto regulation, told attendees at Consensus Miami 2026 the bill “will not move without an ethics clause.” She warned that without it “greed and corruption in Washington” could damage the industry. - The White House’s crypto adviser Patrick Witt has argued ethics rules should apply broadly “from the president all the way down to the brand new intern on Capitol Hill,” but said singling out a specific officeholder is unacceptable. - Cody Carbone, head of the Digital Chamber, told reporters a negotiated deal is likely required before the bill reaches the floor: lawmakers will want confidence they can hit 60 votes before bringing it up. Other pressures complicating progress - Two Democrats who supported the bill in committee — Gallego and Alsobrooks — made clear their votes were conditional on further movement on ethics. - Banking trade groups continue to push back against the stablecoin yield compromise included in the draft, and law enforcement concerns also remain unresolved. Next steps and timeline Senators must resolve the ethics fight, law enforcement issues and banking objections before a floor vote. With bipartisan support described as “non-negotiable” by Coinbase at Consensus Miami and the Senate calendar tightening before the August recess, negotiators face a narrowing window to strike a deal that can clear 60 votes. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news