Treasury Urges Agreement Between Crypto Firms and Banks to Advance CLARITY Act

TheNewsCryptoPublished on 2026-02-10Last updated on 2026-02-10

Abstract

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is urging crypto firms, banks, and lawmakers to compromise to advance the stalled Clarity Act. With the bill stuck in the Senate, he emphasized that waiting for a perfect law is unrealistic and risks U.S. innovation and global crypto leadership. This push comes ahead of a crucial White House meeting. A key debate centers on whether stablecoin companies should pay users interest. Banks fear this could drain deposits and weaken the traditional system, while crypto firms argue yield is essential for competition. Another contentious issue is crypto firms' limited access to the Federal Reserve's payment system. If no agreement is reached, lawmakers may delay the vote again, creating market uncertainty, despite former President Trump's goal of making the U.S. the "crypto capital of the world."

Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, is pushing the crypto firm, banks, and lawmakers to stop fighting and find a compromise so that the Clarity Act can be moved forward. His statements have come right before the key White House meeting.

Right now, the bill has been stuck in the Senate, and crypto firms and banks met last week but failed to agree. So another meeting is scheduled today to try again. Bessent made it clear that waiting for the perfect law is not realistic, and it could create uncertainty and slow innovation in the U.S.

Scott Bessent’s reply to Brian Armstrong’s statement

Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, has argued that it may be better not to have a bill instead of passing the bill that creates the problem. Scott disagrees with his statements, and he believes that some regulations are better than none. He warned that a few groups refusing to compromise could prevent the U.S. from becoming a global crypto leader.

Key issue for the Debate

One of the most sensitive issues is whether the stablecoin companies pay users interest. Banks worry that if the stablecoins offer yield, then people would start moving money out of the bank deposit, and this could weaken the traditional banking system. On the other hand, crypto companies argue that yield helps them to compete, and users expect returns similar to those of savings products. Another topic is limited access for the crypto firms to the payment system run by the Federal Reserve. This created more tension between the crypto firms and banks.

Today’s meeting is so crucial and could decide whether the bill moves forward and how stablecoins will work in the U.S. with clearer operating rules for the companies. If no agreement is reached, then the lawmakers may delay the vote again. The analyst says that this would affect the market and create uncertainty. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that he wants the nation to be the “crypto capital of the world.”

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TagsClarity ACTCrypto

Related Questions

QWhat is the main purpose of the Treasury Secretary's push for compromise between crypto firms and banks?

AThe Treasury Secretary is pushing for compromise to advance the CLARITY Act, which has been stuck in the Senate, to prevent uncertainty and avoid slowing innovation in the U.S. crypto sector.

QHow does Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's view differ from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong's regarding the proposed legislation?

AScott Bessent believes some regulation is better than none and warns that refusing to pass a bill could prevent the U.S. from becoming a global crypto leader, while Brian Armstrong argues it may be better to have no bill than to pass a problematic one.

QWhat is one key issue causing debate between banks and crypto companies regarding stablecoins?

AA key issue is whether stablecoin companies should pay users interest, with banks worrying this could draw deposits away from traditional banks and weaken the banking system, while crypto firms argue yield helps them compete and meet user expectations.

QWhy is the meeting mentioned in the article considered crucial?

AThe meeting is crucial because it could determine whether the CLARITY Act moves forward and establish clearer operating rules for stablecoins in the U.S.; failure to reach an agreement may lead to further delays in voting and create market uncertainty.

QWhat has been President Donald Trump's stated goal regarding cryptocurrency in the U.S.?

APresident Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants the United States to become the 'crypto capital of the world.'

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