A bipartisan agreement on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes a provision that would prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing a digital dollar until 2030. The measure, hammered out between House and Senate negotiators, effectively freezes any U.S. central bank digital currency for at least six more years.
What the provision does
The language is direct: it bars the Fed from launching a digital dollar before the start of the next decade. Lawmakers attached the restriction to the housing bill, which is expected to move through both chambers in coming weeks. No exceptions or escape clauses are listed in the text released so far.
Why the ban matters
A digital dollar — a government-backed cryptocurrency — has been debated for years. The Fed has explored the idea but never committed to a pilot. This provision takes the decision out of the central bank's hands, at least temporarily. Critics of a CBDC worry about privacy, government surveillance, and competition with private banks. Supporters argue it could modernize payments and reach unbanked Americans.
What happens next
The full House and Senate still need to vote on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. If it passes and is signed into law, the Fed would have to wait until January 1, 2030, before even proposing a digital dollar. For now, the agency has no public timeline for a CBDC — and now Congress is imposing one.
