The White House has agreed to the CLARITY Act ethics package, clearing the last major hurdle for the bill that would give US crypto its first full federal rulebook. The House passed the bill 294-134 on July 17, 2025, but the ethics clause had stalled progress in the Senate. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Senate is at the '1-yard line' and wants the bill passed before the August recess.
The ethics clause
The ethics package would stop the president, vice president, lawmakers, and senior officials from profiting from crypto while in office. That provision had been a sticking point for months. With the White House now on board, the path forward looks clearer — though the clock is tight.
Market reaction
Bitcoin climbed toward $67,000 on the news, trading around $66,604, up 2% in a day. The total crypto market rebounded by $63 billion to $2.32 trillion, a 2.8% increase. Coinbase stock jumped as much as 12%. About $427 million entered US spot Bitcoin ETFs in five days. Glassnode data shows only about 1% of Bitcoin supply last changed hands between $67,000 and $70,685 — meaning a breakout above that range could face thin resistance.
Critics and odds
Not everyone is cheering. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Elizabeth Warren criticized the draft for weakening consumer protections. On Polymarket, passage odds for the CLARITY Act in 2026 had fallen to 38% before the breakthrough, then rose. The GENIUS Act stablecoin law was signed in July 2025, but its one-year rule deadline was missed — a reminder that even signed crypto laws can slip.
Majority Leader John Thune must schedule a floor vote before the August 7 recess. That gives the Senate about two weeks to act. If they don't, the bill could stall again until after the break — and the political calendar only gets tighter from there.
