U.S. Senate set to move CLARITY Act forward this week, but 60-vote barrier looms

ChainThink reported on July 27 that Senate Republicans plan to bring the CLARITY Act up for formal consideration this week, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune seeking progress before the August recess. The party is expected to start by filing a cloture motion, a procedural step that requires backing from 60 senators. The bill is not yet at the 60-vote threshold, leaving Democratic votes pivotal. Seven Democratic senators previously said the latest version remains "inadequate", citing shortcomings in ethics provisions, safeguards against illicit finance, and conflictofinterest rules. Republicans are in talks with Democrats over potential changes aimed at securing bipartisan support. Whip counts also appear uncertain on the GOP side. With Republicans holding a narrow majority and Mitch McConnell expected to be absent, attention is on senators such as Josh Hawley and Rand Paul, who opposed the GENIUS bill, and whether they will support the CLARITY Act. Separately, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce said shifting traditional financial products onto blockchain does not automatically remove them from securities oversight. She noted that some crypto yield vault structures where third parties actively manage user assets could still fall under securities law requirements.