clarity

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis stated that the CLARITY Act, after its latest revision, will provide "the strongest protection" for DeFi and developers. This response addresses concerns raised by crypto lawyer Jake Chervinsky regarding the developer liability provisions in the draft, noting that bipartisan adjustments have been made to strengthen legal protections for non-custodial software developers.However, Chervinsky pointed out that the current draft's definition of funds transfer may still expose some DeFi developers to liability risks, as the relevant provisions have not been fully clarified. Reports indicate that the latest revised version of the bill has not yet been made public and is expected to advance to the Senate Banking Committee for review in April.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that the company expects to achieve a record first quarter driven by mergers and acquisitions, and mentioned that it has invested approximately $4 billion in the crypto ecosystem, including the acquisition of Hidden Road for $1.25 billion and the acquisition of GTreasury for about $1 billion.He also pointed out that the progress of digital asset legislation in the United States is slower than expected, with the CLARITY Act potentially being delayed from its original plan of April to May, and called for avoiding excessive politicization of regulation that could impact industry development.

On Tuesday morning, US stocks saw the issuer of USDC, Circle (CRCL), drop by as much as 18%, while the crypto platform Coinbase (COIN) fell by about 8%. CoinDesk reported that the latest draft of the U.S. Clarity Act aims to restrict rewards on stablecoin balances, including prohibiting rewards for passive stablecoin balances and banning structures that are "economically equivalent to interest."Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev stated that the draft may prohibit payments of earnings solely for holding stablecoins and limit any practices that make the program equivalent to bank deposits in any way. The report mentioned that the GENIUS Act previously prohibited issuers from directly paying earnings to users, but issuers and platforms arranged rewards through methods such as distributing earnings from reserve assets; among them, Circle earns interest on the assets backing USDC and shares it with Coinbase, which uses this to provide rewards to users.Keyrock digital asset researcher Amir Hajian noted that the latest draft of the Clarity Act points to the aforementioned "earnings penetration" model by prohibiting arrangements that are "economically equivalent to interest." Additionally, USDT issuer Tether announced that it has hired one of the "Big Four" accounting firms to conduct a comprehensive audit of its USDT reserves. The report also pointed out that this drop occurred after Circle's stock price had risen by 170% since early February, with Clear Street analyst Owen Lau suggesting that the market reaction may be excessive; market participants are also factoring in expectations of interest rate hikes.

According to CoinDesk, cryptocurrency industry practitioners saw the latest provisions regarding stablecoin yields in the revised version of the Senate's "Digital Asset Market Clarity Act" during a closed-door review meeting on Capitol Hill on Monday. The initial impression is that the relevant language is too narrow and not clear enough.The new provisions were announced last Friday by Senators Angela Alsobrooks and Thom Tillis. According to a person familiar with the current draft, the new provisions will prohibit earning yields solely from holding stablecoins, while restricting any practices that equate the program with bank deposits, and setting further limitations on other potentially allowed activities, with the specific identification mechanism for activity-based stablecoin rewards still unclear.This compromise stems from the lobbying struggle between the cryptocurrency industry and the banking sector: the banking industry insists that stablecoin rewards should not be similar to interest-bearing bank deposits, arguing that such competing products could harm the banking sector and suppress lending. The final compromise allows for reward programs based on user stablecoin activities but prohibits rewards based on balances.The closed-door review aims to push the Senate Banking Committee to schedule a hearing, which is an important step for the bill toward a full Senate vote. A similar version of the "Clarity Act" was passed in the House of Representatives last year, and another version has also passed the Senate Agriculture Committee's markup process. The advancement of the bill still faces other obstacles: all parties need to reach an agreement on the DeFi regulatory framework, and Democrats insist on including provisions that prohibit senior government officials from profiting personally from the cryptocurrency industry, a provision clearly targeting President Trump.

Crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett posted on the X platform that Senator Cynthia Lummis stated that the CLARITY crypto bill "must be completed by the end of the year, no matter what." She also revealed that the Republican side of the Senate Banking Committee plans to initiate the bill markup process in late April after the Easter holiday.Regarding the issue of stablecoin yields, Cynthia Lummis stated that a solution has basically been reached, and she also mentioned that the related disputes in the negotiations on DeFi-related provisions have been properly addressed.

Friederike Ernst, co-founder of Gnosis, stated that the regulatory framework in the U.S. CLARITY Act may give large financial institutions greater control in the crypto market.She pointed out that some provisions of the bill assume that market activities need to be conducted through centralized intermediaries, which could undermine the role of blockchain users as network participants and stakeholders. Ernst believes that if there is too much reliance on institutional intermediaries, users may revert to being "customers renting financial technology services" rather than actual participants in the network. However, she also noted that the bill clarifies the regulatory boundaries between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to some extent and provides certain protections for peer-to-peer trading and self-custody.Currently, the CLARITY Act faces controversy as it progresses through Congress, with major disagreements centered around the issue of stablecoin yield distribution. Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy Digital, previously stated that if the bill fails to advance before April 2026, the probability of its passage will significantly decrease.

French Hill, chairman of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, stated that the CLARITY Act is expected to address some regulatory issues not covered by the GENIUS Act.In an interview, Hill mentioned that the banking industry still has concerns about the proposed cryptocurrency regulatory framework, particularly regarding the regulatory treatment that future crypto companies may face. Hill pointed out that the House passed the CLARITY Act last summer with bipartisan support, including 78 Democratic votes in favor. The bill is part of Washington's push to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets, aiming to clarify how stablecoins and other digital assets operate in the U.S. financial markets. Additionally, policymakers are discussing whether crypto companies should be subject to the same level of regulation as banks. Hill stated that both parties have reached a consensus on a key principle: stablecoins should not pay interest to holders, which is also a central topic of discussion surrounding the GENIUS Act.

According to market news, U.S. senators are trying to push forward the stalled cryptocurrency market structure bill, the CLARITY Act, through a compromise on the issue of stablecoin yields.The banking industry had previously successfully lobbied to pause the bill due to concerns that stablecoin yields would siphon off bank deposits. Maryland Senator Angela Alsobrooks, who is involved in the negotiations, stated at a banking summit that both sides may need to "compromise a bit" to allow for innovation growth while preventing deposit outflows. Senator Mike Rounds pointed out that yields should be tied to account activity rather than the amount held.JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon hinted at the acceptability of a transaction-based yield model, which is also the position put forth by the cryptocurrency industry at the White House meeting. The recent rules proposed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency leave considerable room for customer incentive-based yield programs. Although the banking industry continues to emphasize the risks of yield loopholes to their business models, the bill could still advance to committee review if senators reach an agreement on the new compromise.

According to CoinDesk, the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Mike Selig, has updated the agency's ongoing plans to provide much-anticipated regulatory clarity for decentralized finance (DeFi) developers, crypto derivatives, and prediction markets.Selig stated this week at the FIA Global Clearing Markets Conference in Boca Raton, Florida, that the U.S. is reclaiming its leadership in the digital asset space through closer coordination among regulators.He mentioned that he is advancing the "Project Crypto" initiative in collaboration with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins, announcing the end of internal disputes between the CFTC and SEC. In his speech, Selig reiterated that the CFTC will issue guidance clarifying how so-called prediction markets (referred to as event contracts in regulation) can list and trade products under U.S. law, and will initiate a rulemaking process to solicit public input on regulatory approaches for this rapidly growing sector.He also stated that the CFTC plans to address one of the most controversial regulatory issues in the crypto industry: "There has long been uncertainty about whether software providers trigger CFTC registration requirements," Selig said, "We intend to tackle this issue head-on." The agency is also dealing with the classification of crypto perpetual derivatives, which dominate the global crypto market.

According to a report by crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett, at the American Bankers Association (ABA) summit in Washington, Senator Alsobrooks told community bankers that all parties may need to make compromises in the advancement of the Clarity Act, stating that "perfection cannot be an obstacle to achieving goals."She revealed that she is working with Senator Thom Tillis on a compromise plan aimed at preventing deposit outflows while leaving room for innovation.

Santiment indicates that due to the panic from the war and the uncertainty surrounding the Clarity Act, traders tend to short heavily, with the number of Bitcoin short positions significantly exceeding long positions.

Former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Christopher Giancarlo stated that the currently stalled "Digital Asset Market Clear Act" holds greater significance for the banking industry than for the cryptocurrency sector. He pointed out that bank legal advisors are informing boards that without regulatory certainty, they cannot invest billions of dollars in building digital payment infrastructure.The bill has been stalled since this year, with the main point of contention being whether to allow cryptocurrency companies to pay rewards to stablecoin holders—banks are concerned that this move will lead to capital outflows and are demanding a "level playing field," while cryptocurrency companies like Coinbase strongly oppose this.Giancarlo warned that if banks continue to resist, related cryptocurrency businesses will shift to Europe and Asia, leaving U.S. banks in a more passive position. He estimated the probability of the bill eventually passing to be about 60-40, but noted that both sides have missed the deadline set by the White House and there are still many issues to resolve.

The discussion surrounding the U.S. "CLARITY Act" has sparked a public debate between the banking industry and White House cryptocurrency policy officials. Christopher Williston VI, president of the Texas Independent Bankers Association, publicly stated on the X platform that compromising on this act would harm local lending and economic productivity, and he asserted that there would be no concessions on liquidity issues that support the local economy.In response, Patrick Witt, executive director of the White House Digital Asset Advisory Committee, stated that refusing to compromise on the "CLARITY Act" means there would be no restrictions on providing stablecoin rewards to intermediaries. According to the banking industry's claims about "deposit outflows," this situation could lead to catastrophic consequences, and this logic "is like watching an arsonist threaten to burn down their own house."

Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Policy Institute, recently shared her views on the legislative progress of the Clarity Act. She stated that although the bill faces resistance due to the withdrawal of support from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and controversies in the banking sector, its complexity determines the long-term nature of the legislative process. Current negotiations exhibit two new characteristics: first, senior officials from the White House are directly involved, with presidential aides like David Sacks pushing for dispute resolution; second, traditional financial institutions are participating in negotiations for the first time.If the Senate Banking Committee can complete its review of the bill by March or April, there is hope to advance the legislation before the July recess; otherwise, the next window will not open until the fall. Smith, who previously led the Blockchain Association and spearheaded the passage of the Genius Act, believes that despite facing opposition from figures like Elizabeth Warren, the support from key Democrats such as Chuck Schumer and the ongoing pressure from President Trump are changing the odds of the bill's passage. On Wednesday, after Trump urged the banking sector to make concessions in a post on Truth Social, expectations in the market for the passage of cryptocurrency legislation within the year have noticeably increased.

According to CoinDesk, amidst the impact of the Middle East conflict on global stock markets and commodities, Bitcoin has risen against the trend, reaching a one-month high and helping to revitalize the overall cryptocurrency market. After falling nearly 50% from its historical high in October last year, Bitcoin had once been in the oversold territory.Following the outbreak of this round of key conflicts, traditional assets have significantly declined, while BTC's relatively strong performance has reinforced its temporary "safe-haven narrative." Market analysis suggests that this round of increase is mainly driven by three factors:The return of the "fiat currency depreciation" logic, as the intensifying Middle East conflict exacerbates global fiscal pressures, which may lead to expectations of more easing and deficit expansion, strengthening the "fiat currency depreciation" narrative, prompting some funds to be reallocated to digital assets.There may be expectations for a de-escalation in the Middle East situation. Although there has been no response from the U.S., this news has strengthened market expectations that "the conflict may not spiral out of control for a long time," supporting the recovery of risk asset sentiment.The CLARITY Act is close to being passed, aiming to clarify the legal status of stablecoins, which is beneficial for the cryptocurrency market.

The Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Mike Selig, posted on the X platform again calling for the swift passage of the CLARITY Act. He stated that Trump's position on pushing for the passage of the CLARITY Act is correct, and establishing a forward-looking digital asset market structure is crucial.The CFTC is prepared to implement the act during Trump's term, believing that this legislation is a key part of ensuring the United States maintains its leadership in global innovation, "now is the time to take action." Selig also revealed that the CFTC will set clearer standards for self-certified predictive market types and plans to release a high-level Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) soon, laying the groundwork for more comprehensive predictive market rules.

In response to SBF's post on platform X praising the CLARITY Act as an important milestone in the history of cryptocurrency development and a significant achievement for Trump, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis stated that SBF seeks a pardon but fails to realize that the CLARITY Act would result in him being sentenced to far more than 25 years in prison.She emphasized that her legislative proposal is "entirely different" from the bill SBF attempted to purchase from Congress in 2022 and clearly stated, "We neither need nor want SBF's support."

According to Cointelegraph, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno stated that the cryptocurrency market structure bill, the CLARITY Act, is expected to pass in Congress before April. Moreno mentioned in an interview with CNBC that there is now a clear path for the bill's advancement.Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, in the same interview, stated that there were previously disagreements regarding the interest-bearing provisions for stablecoins and regulatory jurisdiction, but all parties are currently seeking a "win-win" solution. The report noted that the stablecoin yield provisions are one of the main points of contention in the bill's progress.Moreno also expressed that he does not believe the results of the midterm elections will affect the bill's passage. Previously, officials from the White House also expressed positive expectations for the bill's advancement earlier this year.

According to The Block, investment bank TD Cowen stated that filling the Democratic vacancies at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission could help advance negotiations on the U.S. crypto market structure bill.The investment bank pointed out that the biggest obstacle to the passage of this bill is not its core framework (i.e., whether digital assets should be regulated as securities by the SEC or as commodities by the CFTC), but rather a political dispute surrounding conflict of interest rules.Democrats are pushing for a ban to prevent senior government officials and their families from engaging in specific financial transactions involving digital assets. TD Cowen noted that, given Trump's involvement in the crypto project World Liberty Financial, this proposal would affect Trump and his family. Bloomberg estimated last month that Trump has made about $1.4 billion from his crypto project. The Trump family also holds a 20% stake in the mining company American Bitcoin.According to TD Cowen, it is unlikely that Democrats will abandon this demand, as the party has used Trump's crypto asset holdings as campaign material ahead of the midterm elections. Last month, no Democratic senators voted in favor of a bill in the Senate Agriculture Committee, citing concerns over Trump's crypto project. It remains unclear whether Democrats will support the Senate Banking Committee's bill.TD Cowen stated that Republicans oppose the proposal because they believe Trump would veto any legislation requiring his family to divest their crypto asset holdings. The report added that this disagreement has already caused a political stalemate, even as industry groups continue to negotiate the crypto regulatory framework.One possible path forward is for both parties to reach a compromise. In this scenario, Trump would agree to fill the Democratic vacancies at the SEC and CFTC. In return, Democrats would accept conflict of interest provisions that would only take effect after the next presidential inauguration.

CoinDesk posted on the X platform that Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse believes the probability of the CLARITY Act being passed by the end of April is 80%. Additionally, the probability of the "CLARITY Act being signed in 2026" on Polymarket is currently reported at 61%.