All articles tagged with #crypto regulation
Bitcoin jumped toward $80,000 on renewed macro momentum, aided by lower yields from long-dated Treasury buybacks and clearer regulatory prospects, with record ETF inflows and short-covering helping the move. Analysts say the rally could self-sustain if buying interest remains, but a durable new trading range still depends on sustained demand and is subject to policy/regulatory developments.
Bitcoin jumped through the $67,000 level and gold rose as U.S. Treasury buybacks and a weaker dollar boosted risk assets, fueling a high-momentum week for crypto. Regulators signaled a friendlier stance on crypto finance, with the CFTC weighing easier rules, while political figures like Trump continued to push crypto-friendly policies; the rally was helped by bears covering positions, with billions in bearish crypto bets liquidated by week’s end.
Trump pressed lawmakers to pass a fair version of the Clarity Act during a White House meeting with crypto executives, while the CFTC warned it will use existing powers to establish a crypto regime if Congress stalls. The SEC meanwhile proposed Regulation Crypto Assets to ease fundraising with a temporary safe harbor. At the CFTC’s Innovation Advisory Committee meeting, officials and industry leaders discussed ethics, bipartisan hurdles, and how to move toward a comprehensive US crypto framework, as private talks with major players underscored the push to bring crypto regulation onshore.
Bitcoin jumped more than 25% this week, briefly topping $79,500 as short-sellers covered and U.S. liquidity steps supported risk assets, aided by a warmer Washington stance on crypto. Ether and other digital assets rose in tandem amid regulatory signals, including an SEC proposal on crypto assets and talks around the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act. Hyperliquid’s HYPE token surged after President Trump hinted at bringing the exchange onshore.
Bitcoin and ether surged after President Trump urged Congress to pass a crypto-clarity bill, with BTC around $71,880 (about 5.2% higher) and ETH up more than 9% to $2,289 as traders pricing in a favorable macro backdrop and potential long‑term gains. Analysts have floated a move toward $100,000 for BTC by year‑end 2026. The rally was aided by a drop in yields from a robust Treasury buyback program and regulatory chatter around platforms like Hyperliquid, boosting appetite for higher‑risk assets even as BTC remains below its recent peaks.
Senate Republicans are racing to finish an August agenda that includes funding the government, a potential vote on the SAVE Act for election integrity, and bills on crypto regulation (CLARITY Act) and hemp, with NIL rights for college athletes also on the table; Democrats worry a failed vote could unleash crypto PAC money and hinder bipartisan talks, leaving passage uncertain and a weekend session possible.
Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan says the SEC is prepared to issue crypto rules if the CLARITY Act misses its deadline, arguing that a failure would not stop crypto progress and that ongoing institutional adoption and current regulatory momentum could accelerate policy in the near term.
Bernstein says a failure to pass the Clarity Act would accelerate crypto rulemaking by the SEC and CFTC under Project Crypto, with lawmakers negotiating amid a tight Senate window; while a passage failure could spark a market dip, regulators would continue pushing for clearer token classifications, DeFi rules and self-custody guidance.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged the Senate to immediately pass the Clarity Act, arguing it would strengthen consumer protections and anti-money-laundering rules while providing regulatory certainty for digital-asset markets; he defended protections for decentralized developers and quoted Satoshi Nakamoto. The bill would establish a federal framework for crypto oversight (SEC and CFTC) and could legalize most crypto activity, though its path faces ethics fights and an approaching August recess.
With the CLARITY Act short of the 60 votes needed to advance, Senate action remains in limbo as August recess looms. Supporters say momentum persists for a floor vote, while several Democrats remain wary about ethics, consumer protections, and safeguards. Although XRP’s supporters view the bill as a potential regulatory milestone that could unlock institutional activity, passage is far from guaranteed amid ongoing intra-party disagreements and the broader crypto-policy debate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune is forcing a floor vote on the CLARITY Act before the August recess to put all senators on the record, even though the bill does not have the 60 votes to clear a filibuster; it faces Democratic opposition over consumer protections and illicit-finance safeguards, while Ripple, Coinbase, Fidelity, and Goldman Sachs back passage. A failed or delayed vote could stall SEC-CFTC regulatory clarity and shape the midterm political dynamics ahead of the election.
President Trump has agreed to ethics language on digital-asset dealings, potentially clearing the last major hurdle for a broad crypto bill (the Clarity Act) to pass the Senate before an early-August deadline. The bill would establish a federal crypto framework and assign oversight to the SEC and CFTC. Text could be released in coming days, with negotiations focusing on how officials profit from crypto; White House adviser Patrick Witt remains in place as talks continue, and the measure would move to the House if the Senate approves before returning to Trump for final action.
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) was added to the Senate calendar, signaling a near-floor vote after committee passage. The bill would define a regulatory framework for digital assets and clarify duties for the SEC and CFTC, with backing from Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott and urging swift action from Sen. Cynthia Lummis as Congress weighs crypto-market reforms ahead of the August recess.
The CLARITY Act would assign digital assets that act like commodities (e.g., BTC and ETH) to CFTC oversight, while securities-like tokens stay under the SEC, with new protections for DeFi developers. After a January delay over a blanket stablecoin yield ban, a revised compromise boosted momentum ahead of a May 14 Senate Banking Committee vote, signaling a potential regulatory framework for crypto and possibly unlocking broader institutional participation, though bipartisan support remains uncertain amid midterm politics and opposition from some lawmakers.
Sen. Tillis and Sen. Alsobrooks finalized a compromise to restrict stablecoin yield and rewards, barring incentives that resemble interest on deposits and directing regulators to prepare new disclosure rules and a framework for permissible rewards as part of a broader crypto policy push.