‘Last Chance’: US Crypto Policy Hits Critical Deadline, Senator Says

bitcoinistPubblicato 2026-04-12Pubblicato ultima volta 2026-04-12

Introduzione

US Senator Cynthia Lummis has warned that the current legislative session is the "last chance until at least 2030" to pass the CLARITY Act, a key piece of market-structure legislation for digital assets. The bill, which aims to provide clear regulatory rules for the crypto industry, faces a critical deadline as November midterm elections threaten to shift congressional priorities. Industry leaders, including Coinbase's Paul Grewal and Brian Armstrong, and a16z Crypto's Chris Dixon, are pushing for its passage, arguing that regulatory clarity will boost innovation and consumer protection. However, a major obstacle remains: a dispute over how to handle stablecoin yield. Despite growing support from companies and some regulators, this unresolved issue could prevent the bill from advancing. The act is seen as a test of Washington's ability to establish crypto regulations before the political window closes.

Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal said the CLARITY Act could be nearing a markup hearing in the Senate Banking Committee, but he tied that progress to one unresolved issue: the dispute over crypto and stablecoin yield.

That came as the broader push for the bill picked up new urgency from lawmakers and industry figures who fear the window for action is closing fast.

Deadline Pressure Builds

US Senator Cynthia Lummis said the country may not get another serious shot at the bill before 2030.

In a post on X on Friday, she said this was the “last chance” to pass the CLARITY Act until at least that year and warned against letting the country’s financial future slip away.

Her warning landed at a sensitive moment. Industry participants have grown more uneasy about the bill’s prospects this year, with November midterm elections threatening to shift congressional priorities and slow work on crypto legislation.

Lummis’ comments framed the fight as one that cannot sit on the shelf much longer.

David Sacks, the former White House AI and crypto czar, echoed that view a day earlier. He said Senate Banking, followed by the full Senate, should pass market-structure legislation and said he believes US President Donald Trump would sign it into law.

Industry Push Gathers Steam

The pressure is not coming from lawmakers alone. Chris Dixon, a16z Crypto’s managing partner, said rules that are clearly defined help both consumers and entrepreneurs.

That line has become a common argument inside the industry, where many firms say clearer oversight would help the US pull in more innovation and more retail demand for crypto assets.

Total crypto market cap currently at $2.4 trillion. Chart: TradingView

That view has spread across different corners of the sector. Immutable founder Robbie Ferguson said on April 3 that the CLARITY Act could make the past decade of gaming growth look small by comparison.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong also shifted his tone on Friday, saying it was time for the bill to move after months of delays.

Stablecoin Fight Still Looms

Even with that momentum, a key problem remains. Grewal said on April 2 that the bill may be close to a Senate Banking Committee markup, but he also said the path forward depends on agreement over stablecoin yield.

That issue has kept the legislation from moving cleanly, even as support has built among companies and some regulators.

Regulators are now adding their voices too. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said the time had come for Congress to move market-structure legislation to Trump’s desk and to protect the system from what he called rogue regulators.

The CLARITY Act has since become a test of whether Washington can settle crypto rules before the political calendar closes in.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Domande pertinenti

QWhat is the name of the crypto legislation that US Senator Cynthia Lummis says is facing a 'last chance' to pass before 2030?

AThe CLARITY Act.

QAccording to the article, what is the key unresolved issue that is holding up the progress of the CLARITY Act?

AThe dispute over crypto and stablecoin yield.

QWhich US President does the article mention as someone who would potentially sign the market-structure legislation into law?

APresident Donald Trump.

QWho is cited in the article as saying that clearly defined rules help both consumers and entrepreneurs?

AChris Dixon, a16z Crypto's managing partner.

QWhat event is threatening to shift congressional priorities and slow down work on crypto legislation this year?

AThe November midterm elections.

Letture associate

Annual Salary of Millions Competing for Electricians, Meta Rushes to Open Its Own Technical School

The AI boom is facing an unexpected bottleneck: a severe shortage of skilled construction workers and electricians. As tech giants like Meta, OpenAI, and Alphabet race to build massive data centers—such as OpenAI's $16 billion "Stargate" project—they are hitting a critical labor wall. The U.S. needs an estimated 130,000 more electricians, 240,000 construction workers, and 150,000 supervisors by 2030 for AI infrastructure alone, but tens of thousands of electrician jobs go unfilled each year. While AI companies offer high premiums, with electricians earning up to $280,000 annually, worker scarcity still causes massive losses—delays on a single project can cost $14.2 million per month. The complexity of building AI data centers, which require immense power (equivalent to powering hundreds of thousands of homes), sophisticated electrical systems, and advanced liquid cooling solutions, demands highly skilled technicians who are in short supply. To combat this, companies are investing heavily in training. Meta has committed $115 million to a free training school offering tuition, housing, and stipends, targeting 5,000 new workers. OpenAI is partnering with unions to secure skilled labor. These efforts are paying off, with a significant rise in Gen Z interest in trade schools over college. However, the power demands are staggering. AI data centers are driving a rapid surge in electricity consumption, projected to account for up to 12% of U.S. power use by 2028 and raising costs for consumers. Furthermore, the construction boom is project-based, leading to a potential future glut of trained workers once building peaks, which could depress wages industry-wide. The race for AI supremacy now depends as much on skilled hands as on advanced chips.

marsbit56 min fa

Annual Salary of Millions Competing for Electricians, Meta Rushes to Open Its Own Technical School

marsbit56 min fa

OpenAI No Longer Sells Its Most Expensive Model for Profit

OpenAI is shifting its business strategy away from promoting its most expensive, flagship models for every task. Recent price cuts—80% for GPT-5.6 Luna and 20% for Terra—signal a deeper change: the company now actively advises users that many tasks don't require the most powerful model. Instead, OpenAI recommends a tiered approach: use the high-end GPT-5.6 Sol for complex planning and analysis, then delegate execution to cheaper models like Luna. This mirrors moves by Anthropic, which recently launched Claude Opus 5 at half the price of its top model, Fable 5. Both companies are de-emphasizing flagship models as primary revenue drivers, using them instead for brand prestige and technological showcases. The industry is entering a "mass-market" phase, similar to automotive, where high-volume, cost-effective models handle daily operations and drive scale. OpenAI's price reductions are partly enabled by AI models themselves optimizing underlying code and infrastructure, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of efficiency gains and cost reduction. Competition is shifting from "who is smartest" to "who offers the best value." The goal is no longer selling individual models but fostering widespread API adoption and ecosystem lock-in. By making AI calls cheap and ubiquitous, companies like OpenAI aim to become the indispensable, utility-like infrastructure powering automated workflows—the "water and electricity" of software, quietly embedded everywhere.

marsbit56 min fa

OpenAI No Longer Sells Its Most Expensive Model for Profit

marsbit56 min fa

Will the Fed Definitely Raise Interest Rates in September? How Will Crypto and U.S. Stocks Withstand the Pressure?

The market's expectation for a September Fed rate hike surged dramatically in early August, jumping from under 50% to over 80% within a week. This shift followed a contentious July FOMC meeting, where a 9-3 vote to hold rates revealed growing dissent from hawkish members advocating for an immediate hike to combat persistent inflation. The primary catalyst for this repricing is rising oil prices, driven by renewed geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, which threaten global supply. Energy costs directly influence inflation metrics, making the upcoming July CPI report (due August 12th) a critical data point. If it shows inflation reaccelerating, the probability of a September hike will solidify. For Bitcoin and crypto assets, this is typically bearish news. Bitcoin continues to behave as a high-beta, liquidity-sensitive risk asset. A rate hike raises the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets and could drive capital toward money markets, pressuring crypto prices in the short term. However, historical patterns suggest that if a hike is perceived as the end of a tightening cycle rather than the start, any negative price impact may be brief. U.S. stocks, particularly crypto-linked equities like Coinbase and growth-oriented tech stocks, are also vulnerable. Higher rates increase discount rates in valuation models, putting pressure on high-multiple companies. This coincides with a pivotal tech earnings season where investor focus has shifted from massive AI capital expenditure to tangible revenue and cash flow generation. Companies with negative cash flow and weak growth narratives could face heightened volatility if borrowing costs rise in September. In summary, a September Fed hike has evolved into a mainstream market scenario. Key factors to watch are oil prices, the July CPI report, and Fed communications, which will determine the final decision and its impact on volatile crypto and equity markets.

marsbit1 h fa

Will the Fed Definitely Raise Interest Rates in September? How Will Crypto and U.S. Stocks Withstand the Pressure?

marsbit1 h fa

Trading

Spot
活动图片