Senate Blocks CLARITY Act; President’s Crypto Conflicts and Dirty Money Gaps Remain
TI US calls on Congress to prevent public officials from profiting from the cryptocurrency industry they oversee and to protect the U.S. financial system from illicit finance
A statement from Transparency International U.S.
September 15, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today the U.S. Senate declined to advance the CLARITY Act, legislation that would establish a sweeping new regulatory framework for cryptocurrency markets, set rules for digital asset businesses, and define the responsibilities of federal regulators.
Scott Greytak, Deputy Executive Director of Transparency International U.S., issued the following statement:
The Senate stopped the CLARITY Act today, but the need for responsible cryptocurrency regulation remains.
Before bringing it back, Congress must confront two fundamental failures of the legislation. First, it must stop President Trump—and future presidents and other public officials—from profiting from the crypto industry while shaping and enforcing its rules. President Trump’s crypto interests make the stakes clear: Public officials who write or enforce the rules for crypto shouldn’t be allowed to cash in on it.
Second, Congress must ensure that law enforcement can follow the money wherever it moves. Unless the bill applies strong anti-money laundering and sanctions rules across the crypto market, scammers, drug cartels, terrorist financiers, sanctions evaders, and corrupt officials will exploit the weakest parts of the system to move and hide their money.
Crypto regulation should protect the public, not presidential profits or criminal proceeds.
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Transparency International U.S. is part of the world’s largest coalition against corruption. In collaboration with national chapters in more than 100 countries, we are leading the fight to turn our vision of a world free from corruption into reality.
Related Resources
- TI US Factsheet—Five Gaps, Five Fixes: The Anti-Money Laundering and Ethics Protections the CLARITY Act Must Include
- TI US Report—Crypto’s Dirty Money Problem: What Congress Must Fix
- TI US Joint Statement—New CLARITY ethics proposal fails to require full divestiture and still relies on Trump’s own appointees to police him
- A comprehensive list of opposition to the CLARITY Act
Contact
Transparency International U.S.
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