One of the major talking points in the digital assets industry so far this year has been regulation, with the crypto market structure bill in the United States drawing the majority of the attention. The US legislators will be returning to Capitol Hill next week, as they look to pass the bill before the end of the month.
Treasury Secretary Calls US Senate Banking Committee To Action
Over the past week, individuals and stakeholders from different quarters of the government and private sector have been weighing in on the crypto market structure bill, the CLARITY Act. These conversations have swirled around negotiations over how to treat stablecoin rewards, as the US lawmakers return to Washington DC next week.
The bill, which has been on the table of the Senate Banking Committee since January, has been stalled by concerns over ethics, tokenized equities, stablecoin yield, and other crypto-related issues. However, the Senate Banking Committee is expected to reconvene and hold a hearing to vote on the bill before the end of the month.
According to a study conducted by White House economists, it was found that stablecoin rewards, the primary issue with the CLARITY Act, are unlikely to have a significant impact on bank lending or the broader credit market. At the same time, top White House officials have continued to push for the passage of the crypto bill.
In his latest attempt on Wednesday, April 8th, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent released an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, calling on the lawmakers to pass the crypto market structure bill.
The Treasury Secretary’s opening read:
The U.S. has long shaped financial markets. Clear rules, credible enforcement, and a willingness to adapt to innovation have made the American approach to market regulation the world standard. But maintenance of this leadership is far from guaranteed. To preserve it and rise to the challenge before us, Congress must pass the Clarity Act. Senate floor time is scarce, and now is the time to act.
In a Thursday follow-up post on the social media platform X, Bessent said that it is time for the Senate Banking Committee to hold a markup and send the CLARITY Act to the US President Donald Trump’s desk.
Coinbase CEO Says It’s Time To Pass CLARITY Act
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, in a response to Bessent’s post on X, said he agrees with the Treasury Secretary’s opinion piece and that it is time for the crypto market bill to pass. “Grateful for all the bipartisan work among Senators and staff over the past several months to make this a strong bill,” the crypto CEO wrote.
Armstrong’s latest endorsement of the bill comes about three months after his company threatened to pull support for the crypto market structure legislation “as written.” However, procedures regarding this bill’s passage appear to be clearing up now, as the US looks to take a lead in cryptocurrency regulation.