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Senate’s CLARITY Act Moves Forward Despite Democratic Skepticism
CLARITY Act 2025 – The Senate’s highly anticipated crypto market structure bill, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (CLARITY Act), is officially headed for a January committee markup, White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks confirmed Thursday. The move brings the landmark legislation closer to a floor vote, despite ongoing concerns from Democratic lawmakers about regulatory independence.
Markup Details and Legislative Oversight
Sacks tweeted that discussions with Senators Tim Scott and John Boozman confirmed the markup is scheduled for January 2026. The committee review, led by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-SC) and Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-AR), will be the first formal consideration of the bill after multiple delays throughout 2025.
The CLARITY Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support in July, aims to create the first comprehensive federal framework for digital assets, defining regulatory jurisdiction between the SEC and the CFTC. The House also passed the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin framework that has since been signed into law.
Democratic Concerns and Presidential Power
Tensions remain as President Donald Trump indicated willingness to nominate Democratic commissioners to the SEC and CFTC, a key demand tied to the bill’s passage. However, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) expressed skepticism, citing risks of temporary appointments due to potential Supreme Court rulings that could expand presidential power.
Booker warned, “It is a deep concern… a massive expansion of presidential power… to advantage his friends in a very corrupting way.”
Industry Reactions: Privacy and Centralization Risks
Crypto experts also weighed in. Kadan Stadelmann, CTO at Komodo Platform, cautioned that the CLARITY Act could undermine financial privacy and favor well-capitalized firms over startups. He noted, “It is likely to require data collection, identity verification, and financial reporting that turns crypto into a surveillance mechanism,” and added, “Unfortunately, in the end, it will be another tool of centralization.”
