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According to reporter Eleanor Terrett, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) stated that he is prepared to move the “Clarity for Stablecoins Act” into the markup phase and will request the chair to schedule a markup session. Tillis noted that most banking-sector concerns regarding stablecoin yield have been heard and addressed, and he welcomes other stakeholders to engage in good-faith collaboration. Regarding timing, Tillis aims to release the stablecoin yield-related legislative text 4–5 days after stakeholders’ preview and before the markup.
According to The Block, Jaret Seiberg, Managing Director of the Washington Research Group at investment bank TD Cowen, stated that stablecoin yield issues are not the sole obstacle to the passage of the Clarity Act—and cited the following five additional hurdles: 1. A severe shortage of Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioners: only Chairman Michael Selig remains in office, and the process to appoint new commissioners could take several months, while the bill must complete its review by the end of July; 2. Complex regulatory questions surrounding prediction markets—including concerns about insider trading and potential conflicts of interest involving the Trump family—which may prompt Democratic lawmakers to withdraw their support via related amendments; 3. Ongoing controversy surrounding World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency project affiliated with the Trump family, increasing political resistance from Democrats toward supporting the bill; 4. Reports indicating Iran is discussing requiring vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to pay tolls in cryptocurrency—a development that could trigger contentious anti-money laundering (AML) amendments, potentially serving as a “poison pill” for the bill; 5. Risk that the Credit Card Competition Act could be attached to the Clarity Act, jeopardizing the entire bill’s progress. Regarding stablecoin yield issues, Senator Thom Tillis indicated that the Senate Banking Committee will not vote on the bill until as early as May. TD Cowen maintains its assessment that the bill has approximately a one-in-three chance of passing this year, while Galaxy Digital estimates the probability at roughly 50%.
According to The Block, the latest draft language of the Clarity Act concerning stablecoin yield will be delayed until next week or later. Sources familiar with the matter say the current text retains prior wording—namely, prohibiting yield generation on idle stablecoin balances held in accounts, while permitting yield from activities such as trading. Senator Thom Tillis stated that the draft text will not be made public until the Senate Banking Committee’s review timeline is confirmed. The report notes that the legislative team remains engaged in discussions with the American Bankers Association and crypto firms, and that making substantive revisions to the text at this stage would be difficult.
According to Decrypt, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis stated that the Senate is expected to release the revised draft text on stablecoin yield distribution this week. Currently, banks and crypto firms are divided over whether cryptocurrency exchanges should be permitted to pay yields to stablecoin holders through reward programs—a dispute that has stalled the legislative progress of the Clarity Act. The White House Council of Economic Advisers recently released a report stating that banning stablecoin yields would have a negligible impact on small banks, boosting bank lending by only 0.02%. However, the American Bankers Association contends that this analysis underestimates the risks. Observers note that if the draft provisions are overly restrictive, users and liquidity could shift to other jurisdictions that permit such yields.
According to The Block, U.S. Republican Senator Thom Tillis stated that a draft bill aimed at resolving the long-standing dispute between banks and crypto firms over stablecoin yield—under the “Clarity for Payment Stablecoins Act” (the “Clarity Act”)—will be publicly released this week. Tillis co-drafted the provisions with Democratic Senator Angela Alsobrooks. The draft has already undergone review by both banking and crypto industry stakeholders, though banks remain opposed. Tillis indicated he is open to further revisions of the text. The issue of stablecoin yield represents the central point of contention in the Clarity Act: banks fear that permitting crypto firms to pay interest on idle stablecoins would trigger massive deposit outflows, while crypto enterprises such as Coinbase argue that banning such interest payments would stifle innovation. Additionally, Tillis proposed hosting a “Crypto Summit” to bring all stakeholders to Capitol Hill for negotiations toward a resolution. The Clarity Act has not yet advanced through the Senate Banking Committee and remains far from final enactment.
According to The Block, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire responded at a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, to criticism over Circle’s decision not to freeze the stolen USDC involved in the Drift incident. He stated that Circle fulfills its legal obligations and freezes wallets only upon instruction from law enforcement agencies or courts; unilaterally freezing assets would constitute a “major ethical dilemma.” He also revealed that Circle is engaging with U.S. legislative bodies regarding the Clarity Act, seeking to establish a “safe harbor” mechanism for stablecoin issuers in extreme circumstances—but emphasized that any such authority must be explicitly granted through legislation, not exercised unilaterally by the company.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong responded to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s call for the passage of the “Clarity for Digital Assets Markets Act” (CLARITY Act), expressing agreement and gratitude for his advocacy. Armstrong emphasized that bipartisan collaboration between senators and staff over the past several months has significantly strengthened the bill. Earlier, the U.S. Treasury Secretary urged Congress to swiftly pass the CLARITY Act.