CLARITY Act Not Expected to Pass Before April, Says Senate Leader John Thune

The long-awaited CLARITY Act is still facing challenges despite the US continuing to make efforts to establish clear crypto regulations. According to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the market structure bill may see further delays in the US Senate Banking Committee.

John Thune Flags Delay in CLARITY Act

According to the latest reports, Senate Majority Leader John Thune remains less confident about the early passage of the CLARITY. He believes that the crypto bill is unlikely to clear the Senate Banking Committee before April 2026. Thune’s projection was revealed in an X post by Eleanor Terrett.

Thune stated,

“Market structure is a bill that’s, I’m hoping, going to come out of the Banking Committee soon, probably not before, I would say, the April time period.”

This critical statement comes amid multiple delays in the market structure bill. These delays occur, especially due to the ongoing debates and negotiations surrounding the stablecoin rules. While banks and crypto groups are fighting over the stablecoin yield proposal, experts like Paul Grewal and Patrick Witt slam banking groups for delaying the bill.

Notably, Thune stated that the Senate is currently focusing on other legislative priorities. One of the main focuses is the SAVE America Act, backed by President Donald Trump. According to Thune, the Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week.

How the Delay Could Impact Crypto Regulation?

Significantly, the delay in advancing the CLARITY Act could slow efforts to bring clearer rules to the US crypto industry. Recently, Trump stated that failing to pass the market structure bill could cause harm to the US crypto industry. It could drive the market to competing countries, including China. He cautioned that continued delays may allow rival economies to gain a stronger foothold in shaping the global digital asset market.

The US has been making significant efforts to establish a clearer regulatory framework for the crypto industry. The latest development, which included the collaboration of the US SEC and CFTC, is one such example. Both regulators have joined hands to remove regulatory debates and confusion. However, without the passage of the CLARITY Act, crypto companies and investors may continue to face uncertainty.

While John Thune sees the crypto bill approval unlikely before April, there are others who hold the opposite view. For example, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno previously expressed his optimism about the crypto bill’s passage by April.

At the same time, some others have shed light on other possible approval dates. Experts like Kristin Smith believe that the crypto bill is likely to get approved by July 2026. This statement is in line with JPMorgan analysts’ projection of the passage by mid-year.