U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent: Congress Must Pass the Clarity Act to Establish Regulatory Rules for Digital Assets

According to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote on April 8 that the United States has long led in setting global financial market regulatory standards—but this leadership is not guaranteed. He urged Congress to promptly pass the Clarity Act to establish a clear regulatory framework for digital assets. Citing data, Bessent noted that global digital asset market capitalization fluctuated between $2 trillion and $3 trillion over the past year, and approximately one-sixth of Americans hold some form of digital asset. Applications of blockchain technology in payments, settlements, and physical asset exchange continue to expand. He emphasized that cryptocurrencies are no longer niche experiments but technologies undergoing broad global adoption—and the U.S. must take proactive steps to maintain its leadership in shaping rules for this domain.