Many mainstream financial institutions have pushed back on this critical legislation, fearing disruption. They are the primary roadblock.
Yet other, more forward-looking financial institutions see blockchain technology as the future of finance—and have been waiting for the legal and regulatory framework necessary to start moving aggressively.
Those groups, including Wall Street powerhouses like BlackRock and Morgan Stanley, would finally get the greenlight to deploy enormous pools of capital toward crypto-based products, tokenized assets, blockchain settlement systems, and digital payment infrastructure.
Passage of the CLARITY Act would represent a major milestone in the evolution of the modern financial system.
By unlocking massive real-world demand across blockchain networks, it could also ignite crypto’s next major wave of institutional adoption.
Why some banks are afraid
Even though there is bipartisan support behind the development of the crypto sector, not everyone wins when there are sweeping changes in the regulatory landscape.
Elements within the traditional banking sector sense a competitive threat, and they have been throwing their weight around in Congress.
Stablecoin yield appears to have been the key sticking point.
Stablecoins have the potential to function much like digital savings accounts, allowing investors to earn a modest return tied to short-term interest rates while avoiding fluctuations in the value of the underlying principal.
Banks are worried that they will see their customers empty their savings accounts and put their funds into crypto wallets, where they can potentially earn higher yields by owning stablecoins.
The bank lobby, which is formidable, has therefore pushed members of Congress to restrict the ability of crypto platforms to offer interest-like rewards to stablecoin owners. They argue that capital flight from traditional banks could pose systemic risk.
While banks may not appreciate the competition, they may not have the last word, influential as they are.
The CLARITY Act is a top priority for the administration. The White House has indicated it wants the legislation to pass before July 4 of this year.
The goal is to position America as the global leader in technology as the nation celebrates its 250th birthday.
Positive momentum
Recent upside in crypto markets and crypto-related stocks reflects an improved perception that a compromise will be reached and the legislation will pass.
Bitcoin is now trading above $80,000, while many crypto-related stocks have shown notable strength in recent weeks.
Shares of Circle Internet Group (CRCL), our newest Model Portfolio position, advanced more than 15% today on the heels of its first quarter earnings announcement.
The company disclosed a successful pre-sale of its new ARC token, a blockchain designed to support stablecoin payments, tokenized assets, and AI-driven financial applications.
CRCL raised over $200 million at an implied network valuation of approximately $3 billion. The new token got backing from major institutional investors including BlackRock, ARK Invest, and Andreessen Horowitz.
As a leader in stablecoins, CRCL encountered some significant volatility in recent weeks as investors grew concerned that the banks might actually prevail in Congress.
With investors now more confident in CLARITY’s prospects, it closed today at close to its highest level of the year, up more than 125% since we first profiled the opportunity in the 76report (Capitalizing on the Tech Downturn, 2/11/2026).
