US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has asked Congress to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act without delay, warning that Senate floor time is limited and now is the moment to act.
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Wednesday, Bessent
The Council of Economic Advisers estimated that banning stablecoin yields would lift total US bank lending by only $2.1 billion, or 0.02% of the $12 trillion market, with community banks gaining just $500 million. On the other hand, they found that such a ban would impose an $800 million annual welfare loss per year due to lost yield for users.
President Donald Trump has slammed banks for obstructing crypto legislation, arguing they are using stablecoin yield disagreements to hold the CLARITY Act and GENIUS Act “hostage.”
Related: Dubai clarifies token issuance rules for RWAs and stablecoins
Treasury proposes stricter AML rules for stablecoin issuers
On Wednesday, the Treasury proposed new rules under the GENIUS Act requiring payment stablecoin issuers to implement Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing programs. The framework would mandate sanctions compliance and give issuers the authority to block, freeze or reject certain transactions, treating them as financial institutions under the Bank Secrecy Act.
Industry experts say the move effectively turns stablecoin issuers into bank-like gatekeepers. Snir Levi, CEO of blockchain intelligence firm Nominis, told Cointelegraph that compliance could lead to significantly more wallet freezes, transaction blocking and asset seizures at scale.
Magazine: Your guide to surviving this mini-crypto winter
