Senate advances first-of-its-kind cryptocurrency legislation after Democrats initially blocked it amid Trump crypto deals

(CNN) — The Senate voted 66-32 Monday night to advance first-of-its-kind legislation to control “stablecoins,” a form of cryptocurrency. Democrats had initially voted to block the bill earlier this month amid issues over President Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency deals.

The legislation, referred to as the GENIUS Act, is targeted on what is named stablecoin, a digital foreign money tied to the worth of a particular asset – on this case the US greenback. The push for the invoice represented a uncommon bipartisan effort within the Senate for main legislation. However whereas there was basic settlement throughout the Senate that regulation is important, key Democrats initially balked at shifting forward after demanding modifications to the legislation.

Republicans and Democrats had continued negotiating after the invoice initially didn’t advance, leading to a brand new modification draft over the weekend that garnered sufficient assist amongst Democrats to maneuver the bundle ahead.

Nonetheless, the Democratic caucus remained divided in its assist for the invoice; whereas over a dozen Democrats voted with Republicans to advance it, senior Democratic management – together with Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer and Minority Whip Dick Durbin – voted towards invoking cloture.

“Stablecoins are already taking part in an essential position within the international financial system, and it is important that the U.S. enact legislation that protects customers, whereas additionally enabling accountable improvements,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, one of many preliminary Democratic cosponsors of the invoice, stated in a press release on Friday.

“The bipartisan GENIUS Act will present regulatory readability to this essential trade, maintain innovation on shore, add strong shopper safety, and reaffirm the dominance of the U.S. greenback,” Gillibrand continued.

Sen. Mark Warner, who had voted together with his Democratic colleagues to dam the invoice earlier this month, insisting that it was “not but full,” launched a press release early Monday encouraging his colleagues to vote sure on the invoice, calling it a “significant step ahead,” whereas nonetheless acknowledging Democratic anxieties about Trump’s crypto dealings.

“Many senators, myself included, have very actual issues concerning the Trump household’s use of crypto applied sciences to evade oversight, cover shady monetary dealings, and personally revenue on the expense of on a regular basis Individuals. We have now an obligation to shine a light-weight on these abuses and cease Donald Trump from exploiting rising applied sciences to counterpoint himself, dodge accountability, and weaken the safeguards that defend American customers and the rule of regulation,” famous Warner.

“Innovation on this house is occurring, with or with out us. We have now a accountability to make sure it occurs safely, transparently, and in a method that advances U.S. financial and nationwide safety pursuits. The GENIUS Act will assist get us began,” Warner stated.

Nonetheless, as some Democrats have insisted that an imperfect invoice is best than no regulatory legislation, the highest Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee argued the other. In a speech on the Senate flooring on Monday afternoon, Sen. Elizabeth Warren insisted, “whereas a robust stablecoin invoice is the very best end result, this weak invoice is worse than no invoice in any respect.”

Warren has against earlier variations of the GENIUS Act, warning that the invoice’s makes an attempt to control stablecoin are toothless and will hurt customers, spur corruption and even result in a possible monetary disaster.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable Information Community, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Firm. All rights reserved.