The U.S. Senate has blocked the next step for the CLARITY Act after a procedural vote ended 49–50, falling short of the 60 votes required to advance the crypto market-structure bill.
But the bill is not necessarily finished.
Sen. Thom Tillis voted against the motion in a move that preserves the possibility of reconsideration and another vote during the current session.
Seven Senate Democrats — including Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, Ruben Gallego and Mark Warner — also said they remain committed to passing crypto market-structure legislation.
The biggest sticking point remains ethics provisions for elected officials, alongside disagreements over parts of the crypto regulatory framework.
With the Senate expected to recess in early October, lawmakers have a narrowing window to find a compromise before the 2026 session moves further into the election calendar.
For crypto, the key question now is simple:
Can both sides reach a new deal before time runs out?
