- Democratic senators are demanding ethics safeguards tied to President Trump’s crypto interests before supporting the CLARITY Act.
- Trump’s reported US$1.4 billion (AU$2.03 billion) in crypto earnings has intensified debate as bipartisan negotiations continue.
- The bill would establish a federal regulatory framework for digital assets but still faces significant political hurdles in the Senate.
Democratic opposition to the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act is intensifying as the US Senate moves closer to considering the cryptocurrency market structure bill, with ethics rules emerging as the central point of dispute.
Senators Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley have urged colleagues to amend the legislation to address President Donald Trump’s financial involvement in the crypto industry before supporting its passage. Their concerns focus on Trump’s cryptocurrency interests, including his memecoin, his family’s World Liberty Financial business and other investments, which they argue create potential conflicts if left unaddressed.
Several Democrats have maintained they cannot vote for the bill unless it explicitly prevents senior government officials, including the president, from participating in the cryptocurrency industry while in office.
Pressure has increased following Trump’s disclosure that he generated around US$1.4 billion (AU$2.03 billion) from crypto-related activities during 2025, reinforcing Democratic calls for stronger ethics safeguards.
Related: Trump Renews Push for Crypto Market Structure Bill as Congress Returns to Washington
Bipartisan Support Remains Uncertain
Supporters are still seeking enough bipartisan backing to clear the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, with negotiations continuing ahead of the chamber’s August recess.
If passed, the legislation would establish separate regulatory treatment for crypto commodities and securities, allocate oversight between federal regulators and create statutory requirements covering exchange registration, custody and market surveillance.
Senate leaders have indicated they intend to schedule a vote before lawmakers leave for the August break, though no final date has been announced.
Related: Vanguard Signals Crypto Shift With New Digital Assets Leadership Role
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