The CLARITY Act Is Closer Than Ever to a Senate Vote — Here’s What’s Standing in the Way

TLDR

• A HarrisX poll of 2,008 voters shows 52% support the CLARITY Act, with only 11% opposing it
• 70% of voters say Congress should have already passed clear crypto legislation
• The Senate Banking Committee could hold a markup vote as early as May 14
• Coinbase VP Kara Calvert says the bill needs at least 60 Senate votes and bipartisan support to pass
• Complex tax reporting rules, not market structure, are the biggest barrier to institutional crypto adoption

The CLARITY Act, a crypto market structure bill, is moving closer to a Senate vote after a new poll showed strong voter support across party lines.

A HarrisX survey of 2,008 registered American voters found that 52% support the bill, with backing from Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. Only 11% oppose it.

The survey also found that 70% of voters believe Congress should have already passed clear crypto legislation. Another 62% said it is important for the US to set global rules for digital finance.

Kara Calvert, Vice President of US Policy at Coinbase, spoke at the Consensus 2026 conference in Miami. She said she expects the Senate Banking Committee to hold a markup of the bill as early as next week.

Crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett reported that the committee plans to notice the markup for a May 14 vote.

Calvert said the bill needs at least 60 votes to pass in the Senate, which means it must have Democratic support.

Senate Support Still in Question

Despite voter enthusiasm, the bill has not yet secured full bipartisan support inside the Senate Banking Committee. Committee chair Tim Scott has said he wants to advance the bill across party lines, but all Democrats on the committee may vote against it.

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand warned the bill is unlikely to pass without an ethics provision. Democrats are pushing for this clause to address President Trump’s crypto business interests.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, remains opposed to the bill.

The CLARITY bill stalled in January after Coinbase withdrew support, citing concerns about open source software protections, a ban on stablecoin yield, and DeFi regulations.

Tax Rules Remain a Hurdle for Institutions

Calvert said that unclear tax policy is the biggest barrier to institutional crypto adoption, bigger even than market structure legislation.

Under current rules, the IRS requires crypto exchanges to report every transaction using 1099-DA forms, even small ones.

She said she hopes tax reform can move through Congress in 2026. She pointed to the Digital Asset PARITY Act, introduced by Representatives Max Miller and Steven Horsford in March, as one example of proposed reform.

Senator Cynthia Lummis reacted to the poll, saying the American people have made it clear the country should lead on digital assets.

Senator Bernie Moreno, who defeated crypto critic Sherrod Brown in 2024, believes President Trump could sign the CLARITY Act into law by July 4.

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