Senate Majority Leader John Thune has expressed confidence that lawmakers could reach a bipartisan agreement on the CLARITY Act. His comments followed progress on an ethics provision designed to limit the involvement of elected officials in cryptocurrency businesses.
John Thune Sees Progress on the CLARITY Act
In a post on X, Thune said there was a “good chance” that Republicans and Democrats could reach an agreement. However, he warned that negotiations could still change before a final deal is completed.
The Senate Majority Leader explained that Republicans are working with Democratic lawmakers to secure enough votes to bring the legislation to the Senate floor.
Thune previously said he hoped the CLARITY Act would receive a Senate vote before the August recess. However, he also indicated that he wanted bipartisan support before scheduling the bill for debate.
Ethics Agreement Removes a Major Obstacle
The chances of an agreement improved after President Donald Trump reportedly accepted the inclusion of ethics provisions in the legislation.
Democrats had pushed for stronger restrictions because of concerns surrounding elected officials and their involvement in cryptocurrency ventures. The ethics issue had become one of the main barriers preventing the bill from moving forward.
Reaching an agreement on this section could make it easier for both parties to support the broader cryptocurrency market structure bill.
Treasury Secretary Says Lawmakers Are Close
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also expressed optimism about the legislation. He described lawmakers as being near the “1-yard line” and encouraged the Senate to approve the bill before leaving for its August recess.
Senator Kevin Cramer offered a similar assessment. He said the legislation was becoming clearer as negotiators resolved the remaining disagreements.
Cramer also confirmed that lawmakers had reached an agreement on the ethics language. Under the proposal, the U.S. Department of Justice would be responsible for enforcing the ethics rules instead of individual state attorneys general.
According to Cramer, the negotiations are now close to reaching a final agreement.
CLARITY Act Prediction-Market Odds Rise
The probability of the CLARITY Act becoming law in 2026 has increased following the ethics agreement.
Data cited from Polymarket placed the probability of President Trump signing the legislation this year at approximately 50%. This suggests that traders have become more optimistic about the bill’s prospects, although its passage remains uncertain until lawmakers complete negotiations and schedule a final vote.
The CLARITY Act aims to establish a clearer regulatory framework for the U.S. cryptocurrency industry. A bipartisan agreement could therefore represent a major step toward defining how digital assets, exchanges and crypto companies are regulated in the United States.
