U.S. House Advances Key Crypto Bills After Marathon Session

The U.S. House of Representatives broke a nine-hour deadlock to advance three pivotal cryptocurrency bills, marking a significant step toward regulatory clarity for digital assets. The GENIUS Act, Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, and CLARITY Act now move forward after a narrow 217-212 vote, signaling growing legislative engagement with crypto despite partisan tensions.

Central bank digital currencies emerged as the flashpoint. Republican holdouts demanded—and secured—a commitment to include a CBDC ban in the National Defense Authorization Act, clearing the way for the bills' progress. The GENIUS Act, endorsed by former President Trump, proposes stablecoin oversight while explicitly limiting Federal Reserve authority to issue a CBDC—a provision some critics fear could enable covert CBDC adoption.

The CLARITY Act aims to establish transparent market structures with enhanced consumer protections, reflecting lawmakers' attempts to balance innovation with safeguards. These developments occur against the backdrop of escalating institutional interest in cryptocurrency markets, though the legislation notably avoids addressing specific assets like BTC or ETH.