House Advances Three Key Crypto Bills After Narrow Vote

In a significant development for the cryptocurrency industry, the US House of Representatives has advanced three key digital asset bills following a narrow vote. This move comes after an initial failed attempt to bring the legislation to the floor for debate during what was dubbed "Crypto week." The bills in question are the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act of 2025, and an anti-Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) bill.

The House voted on a motion to reconsider these bills on Wednesday, after they failed to pass a procedural vote the previous day. The motion was initially blocked in a 196-223 vote, with 13 Republicans joining the Democrats in opposition. However, a subsequent vote on Wednesday saw the motion pass with a 215-211 margin, with all Republican representatives voting in favor. This sets the stage for a new procedural vote later in the day to determine if the bills will proceed to a final vote.

Representative Andy Harris announced on X that members of the House Freedom Caucus would support the rule after reaching an agreement with President Trump. Under this agreement, the House Committee on Rules will meet to include strong anti-CBDC provisions in the CLARITY legislation, aiming to protect Americans from government overreach into their financial privacy.

Despite this progress, the bills face new challenges. There are concerns that merging two of the three crypto legislations could complicate the upcoming vote. House GOP leaders are reportedly considering combining the market structure and anti-CBDC bills, but this plan has met resistance from Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Agriculture Committee. They argue that such a merger could jeopardize the passage of the CLARITY Act, as it risks losing Democratic votes due to the anti-CBDC language.

A GOP Senate staffer expressed hope that the House could move forward with any of the bills to maintain momentum, stating that another failed vote could be detrimental. The GENIUS Act, which has already passed the Senate, is expected to remain a standalone bill and only needs to pass the final House vote to be sent to President Trump's desk.

This legislative process highlights the ongoing efforts to regulate the cryptocurrency market and protect financial privacy. The outcome of these votes will significantly impact the future of digital assets in the United States, potentially setting a precedent for other regions. The crypto market has shown resilience, with Bitcoin holding steady despite the legislative uncertainty.