President Donald Trump has agreed to major parts of a bipartisan ethics proposal tied to the CLARITY Act, one of the most important crypto bills before the U.S. Senate.
The change comes just one day before a key Senate vote on September 15. The vote could decide whether the bill moves forward or faces another major delay.
The CLARITY Act aims to create a clearer set of rules for digital assets in the United States. It would also help define which crypto assets fall under the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and which fall under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC.
For the crypto market, this makes the latest move from Trump very important. A successful vote could improve confidence in the U.S. crypto sector and reduce some of the legal uncertainty that has affected digital asset firms for years.
Why the Ethics Issue Matters
The ethics dispute has been one of the biggest problems for the CLARITY Act.
The original version of the bill had rules that would stop federally elected officials, their spouses and federal judges from issuing digital assets. However, several lawmakers said those rules did not go far enough.
Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, and Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona, pushed for stronger rules. Their main concern was the possible conflict between public office and private crypto interests.
The issue became more important because of Trump’s own crypto holdings and business interests.
Democratic lawmakers wanted stronger safeguards that could apply to the president and other senior officials. They also wanted state attorneys general to have a clear role in enforcement.
That demand had created a serious problem for the bill because Republicans do not have enough votes to pass the measure without help from Democrats.
The Senate needs 60 votes for the cloture vote. Republicans hold 53 seats, so they need support from at least nine Democrats if all Republicans support the measure.
Trump Agrees to About 80% of the Proposal
According to three Republican senators involved with the bill, Trump has now agreed to about 80% of the ethics proposal from Tillis and Gallego.
The revised plan would require a person covered by the rules to either sell a significant crypto interest or place it in a blind trust.
The proposal also gives state attorneys general a meaningful role in enforcement.
Under the revised language, state attorneys general could take legal action against a crypto exchange if it lists a digital asset that the CLARITY Act would prohibit.
This is a major change because earlier versions gave more power to the Justice Department.
The White House had raised concerns about state attorneys general. Officials feared that state-level enforcement could become a political tool against Trump or other political figures.
Despite those concerns, Trump has now accepted much of the proposal. Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis, Tim Scott and John Boozman confirmed his support for the changes.
September 15 Is the Key Test
The Senate has scheduled a major procedural vote for Tuesday, September 15.
The vote is a cloture vote on the motion to proceed with the CLARITY Act. It is not the final vote that would make the bill law.
The measure needs 60 votes to clear this stage.
That difference matters. A successful vote would show that the bill has enough support to move ahead, but the CLARITY Act would still have more work to complete before it could become law.
The vote is scheduled for about 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time on September 15.
Until the vote takes place, there is still a real chance that the bill could face another delay.
What the CLARITY Act Would Do
The CLARITY Act is designed to give the U.S. crypto market a clearer legal framework.
One of the main goals is to define the roles of the SEC and CFTC.
For years, crypto companies and investors have argued that U.S. rules were not clear enough. Different digital assets could face different treatment, while companies often had difficulty knowing which regulator had authority over them.
The latest Senate version is about 630 pages long. It also contains changes related to decentralized finance, credit unions, prediction markets and other parts of the digital asset sector.
The updated bill says some non-DeFi trading protocols would need to register with the CFTC and follow parts of the Bank Secrecy Act.
Senator Cynthia Lummis has said the latest version contains 114 provisions requested by Democrats. Even so, several major disputes remain, such as stablecoin yield, anti-money-laundering rules and possible effects on bank deposits.
Why Bitcoin Could React
Bitcoin could be one of the biggest assets to react to the Senate vote.
The reason is simple. The CLARITY Act is not only about one crypto token. It is about the rules for a large part of the U.S. digital asset market.
If the Senate vote succeeds, traders may see it as a sign that the United States is closer to a clear crypto rulebook.
That could improve market confidence.
Bitcoin may also benefit because it is the largest and most widely held digital asset. A positive response to U.S. crypto policy could support demand for BTC.
However, a successful cloture vote would not guarantee a price rise. Crypto prices can also react to interest rates, inflation data, liquidity and wider risk sentiment.
ETH, XRP and SOL Could Also React
Ethereum could also benefit from a clearer U.S. regulatory system.
ETH has faced years of debate about its legal status and the role of U.S. regulators. A broader market structure law could reduce some of that uncertainty.
XRP could see a strong market response as well. XRP has been highly sensitive to U.S. regulatory news, so any major step toward clearer rules could attract extra attention from traders.
Solana could also see a strong reaction. SOL is one of the largest crypto assets outside Bitcoin and Ethereum, and it could benefit from a wider market view that U.S. regulators are moving toward clearer digital asset rules.
Still, none of these assets receives a special guarantee from the CLARITY Act. The market response would depend on how traders read the final law and its effect on different types of digital assets.
A Bullish Signal, But Not a Done Deal
Trump’s decision is clearly important, but it does not mean the CLARITY Act has passed.
The Senate still has to clear the September 15 procedural vote. After that, lawmakers would still need to settle other issues before the bill could complete its path through Congress.
Some Democrats remain concerned about ethics rules and anti-money-laundering protections. Some Republicans also have concerns about stablecoin rewards and the possible effect of digital assets on traditional bank deposits.
The banking sector has also pushed back against parts of the bill. Bank groups have warned that some crypto rules could create stronger competition for bank deposits.
That means the path ahead remains difficult.
What Crypto Traders Will Watch
For the crypto market, the most important event is now the September 15 Senate vote.
A successful cloture vote could create a strong positive signal for the sector. It would show that the bill has enough support to move to the next stage.
A failed vote, on the other hand, could hurt market confidence and raise fresh doubts about whether the United States can pass major crypto market rules this year.
That is why Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Solana could all see higher volatility around the vote.
The key point is that Trump’s latest decision removes one of the biggest political obstacles to the bill. His support for about 80% of the Tillis-Gallego ethics plan gives lawmakers a better chance to find the 60 votes they need.
For crypto investors, September 15 is therefore more than another political event. It is a major test of whether the United States can finally move toward a broad and lasting set of rules for digital assets.
If the Senate clears the bill, the crypto market could treat it as a major step toward regulatory clarity. If it fails, the sector may face another period of uncertainty.
For now, the most important number is 60. That is the number of Senate votes the CLARITY Act needs to clear its next major hurdle.
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