Crypto industry turns to US regulators after CLARITY setback

U.S. lawmakers failed to advance the CLARITY Act on Tuesday, leaving the crypto sector to look to federal regulators for guidance. The Senate vote on cloture fell short of the 60‑vote threshold, ending at 49‑50.

Regulators become the next source of clarity

Industry leaders cited the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as the most likely venues for rulemaking that could fill the legislative gap. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed optimism that both agencies, under Chairs Paul Atkins (SEC) and Rostin Behnam (CFTC), would continue to work on crypto rules.

Industry concerns over uncertainty

NEAR Protocol’s chief legal officer Abhishek Vaidyanathan warned that rejecting the bill leaves firms dependent on agency guidance and ongoing administrative discretion, potentially delaying budgeting and increasing legal costs. Bitget Wallet COO Alvin Kan described the outcome as “continued uncertainty” regarding how securities, commodities and money‑transmission rules apply across products.

Possibility of another cloture vote

Senator Thom Tillis announced plans to revisit the cloture motion, suggesting the CLARITY Act could face another vote. Opinions differ on whether Congress can pass the legislation before the current term ends in January. 1inch chief legal officer Orest Gavryliak called the result a “delay, not a verdict,” while Vaidyanathan noted that the next Congress may be the realistic opportunity for comprehensive reform.

Market reaction

Prediction markets reflected the setback, with odds of the CLARITY Act becoming law in 2026 dropping to 5 %.