CLARITY ACT News: Senate Delays Crypto Bill Vote Until September

The CLARITY Act will not receive a Senate vote before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the chamber plans to take up the crypto market structure bill in September.

Democrats declined the timing agreement needed to clear the pre-recess schedule, while negotiations remained unresolved. The CLARITY Act news leaves supporters weeks to seek the 60 votes required to move the legislation forward.

Senate Pushes CLARITY Act Vote to September

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, known as H.R. 3633, seeks to divide crypto oversight between federal regulators. The bill cannot advance in the Senate without 60 votes, which requires support from both parties.

According to the CLARITY Act news, Republican leaders hoped to include the measure in the final schedule before senators left Washington.

That plan failed after Democrats refused to approve a time agreement covering the Senate’s remaining business. Thune said Democrats opposed holding a CLARITY Act vote before the recess. He added that Republican leaders plan to place the bill near the top of the agenda when the Senate returns.

Thune could still file cloture, which starts the process for bringing legislation toward a floor vote. However, the Senate does not expect to complete that process before the recess. Lawmakers now have more time to continue negotiations before September.

CLARITY Act News: Ethics Rules Keep Senate Negotiations Open

Democrats continue to seek stronger ethics restrictions for federal officials with financial ties to digital asset companies. Their proposal targets President Donald Trump and crypto businesses linked to his family. Several Democratic senators rejected an earlier version of the bill in July over those concerns.

A bipartisan counterproposal would require certain federal officials to divest large ownership stakes in affected companies. The reported plan would apply when an official holds more than $1 million and at least 10% of a company. Senators have not announced a final agreement on that language.

Republican support also faces questions outside the ethics debate. Senator Josh Hawley has said he could oppose the measure without changes addressing community bank concerns.

Polymarket CLARITY Act Odds Fall Over 50%

Prediction market traders have sharply reduced expectations that the CLARITY Act will become law during 2026. The Polymarket chart now shows a 14% chance of passage and displays a 51% decline. Trading volume on the contract stands near $5.22 million.

The probability had traded above 70% in early May before falling through June, July, and early August. The steepest recent drop came as the Senate’s August timetable narrowed and the planned vote shifted to September.

Prediction market contracts can move quickly if Senate leaders announce a vote, lawmakers reach an agreement, or negotiations break down.

September Vote Still Requires Bipartisan Support

The recess gives bill sponsors more time to negotiate with senators who have not committed their support. September will test whether lawmakers can resolve ethics language, banking concerns, and other provisions before leadership schedules a floor vote.

A Senate vote would not automatically complete the legislative process. If senators approve a version that differs from the House measure, the House would need to accept those changes. The legislation could then move to the president if both chambers pass identical text.

The earlier GENIUS Act followed a difficult Senate path after failing its first cloture vote. Lawmakers later revived that measure and passed it after further negotiations. The CLARITY Act now enters a similar period of vote counting and policy talks when Congress returns.