Senate Advances Housing Bill With CBDC Ban, Draws White House Backing

In brief

  • House conservatives pushed to fold a CBDC ban into the housing package rather than advance it as standalone crypto legislation.
  • The White House formally backed the bill after the Senate vote, saying President Trump would pass the bill in its current form should it hit his desk.
  • Fed officials have previously said any U.S. CBDC would require explicit congressional approval and remains exploratory.

The U.S. Senate moved forward Monday on a sweeping bipartisan housing package that includes a provision barring the issuance of a central bank digital currency, an unusual pairing that has pulled digital-asset policy into a debate traditionally focused on housing supply and affordability. Lawmakers voted 84–6 to advance the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, according to Semafor’s congressional bureau chief, Burgess Everett.  It’s a compromise measure that combines long-standing housing initiatives with provisions sought by House Republicans, including a prohibition on a Federal Reserve–issued digital dollar through the end of 2030. 

The CBDC language appears in a standalone section of the bill, embedding limits on a U.S. digital dollar in a major housing vehicle rather than standalone crypto legislation.  “The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or a Federal Reserve Bank may not issue or create a central bank digital currency, or any digital asset substantially similar to a central bank digital currency, either directly or indirectly through a financial institution or other intermediary,” a copy of the bill’s text reads. The provision was reportedly added at the urging of House conservatives, who had pressed leadership to secure a CBDC ban as part of earlier compromises on crypto-related measures. The White House quickly issued a statement backing the legislation, highlighting both its housing affordability provisions and the CBDC restriction in an unusual step for Democrats, who have generally resisted efforts to pre-emptively bar the Federal Reserve from studying or developing a digital dollar.

“If the Senate Amendment to H.R. 6644 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend that he sign it into law,” according to a screenshot of a White House statement provided by senior reporter and co-author of PunchbowlNews 's VAULT, Brendan Pedersen. Federal Reserve officials have previously said the central bank would not issue a CBDC without explicit authorization from Congress, and policymakers have framed ongoing work as exploratory rather than a commitment to launch a digital currency. Housing advocates have focused on the bill’s expansive scope, which includes measures to boost housing supply, limit institutional ownership of single-family homes, and streamline development and financing programs.  But the inclusion of digital-currency policy has drawn fresh attention from financial and technology circles, where debates over privacy, surveillance, and the role of government in payments remain unsettled. The bill must still be reconciled with the House before reaching the president’s desk, and it remains unclear whether the CBDC provision will survive final negotiations intact.

Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to Disclaimer.

Related Articles

Fastest—Effective Next Year! Japan’s Cabinet Passes an Amendment: Classifies Cryptocurrency as “Financial Products” and Strengthens Regulation

The Japanese government passed amendments to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, for the first time classifying cryptocurrencies as “financial products,” implementing regulation and banning insider trading. Issuers are required to disclose information annually. If the amendments are approved, they are expected to take effect in 2027. In addition, penalties will be increased: the maximum prison term for selling tokens without registration rises to 10 years, and the fine cap increases to 10 million yen.

区块客52m ago

Encourage innovation! A U.S. judge and a French judge ban Arizona from regulating prediction markets, and suspend the prosecution of Kalshi

A U.S. federal district court ruled that Arizona is prohibited from using its gambling laws to prosecute prediction market platform Kalshi, finding that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has exclusive jurisdiction. The ruling affects the boundary between state and federal authority in financial market regulation, while Kalshi insists that its business is a financial product rather than traditional gambling. Decisions regarding prediction markets vary from state to state, and the Trump family has also expressed support for prediction markets.

CryptoCity2h ago

Can bypassing FSC regulations on using credit cards to buy crypto be possible? Odin Ding promotes a Wallet Pro service for buying crypto with US debit cards

OdinTai推出OwlPay和Wallet Pro服务,专注于B2B跨境支付,结合稳定币技术与国际金融系统,展现其金融科技转型。通过与MoneyGram合作,Wallet Pro实现现金购买稳定币的跨国汇款,并在美国市场运作。该公司的境外模式规避了台湾严格的监管,并在新法草案下挑战市场竞争格局,未来将影响本地业者的合规策略。

CryptoCity3h ago

Encourage innovation! A U.S. judge bans Arizona’s regulation of prediction markets, and suspends the prosecution of Kalshi.

A U.S. federal district court ruled that Arizona is barred from using its gambling laws to prosecute prediction market platform Kalshi, finding that the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission has exclusive jurisdiction. The decision affects the boundary between state and federal authority in financial market regulation, while Kalshi insists that its business is a financial product rather than traditional gambling. Rulings on prediction markets vary across states, and the Trump family has also expressed support for prediction markets.

CryptoCity5h ago

Solana cofounder toly: a base-layer stablecoin should be built that can only be frozen with authorization from the court

Solana co-founder toly noted that the industry needs a stablecoin that can only be frozen under a court order, opposing other freeze factors. He suggested that the protocol issue a stablecoin with custom freeze strategies on the base layer and strengthen security measures. This view stems from a recent response by Circle to the Drift protocol hack incident, sparking discussions about centralized stablecoins.

GateNews5h ago

Hong Kong’s first batch of stablecoin issuers has been unveiled! Out of 36 applications, only 2 received licenses: HSBC and TetherPoint Finance

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has announced the inaugural stablecoin issuer licensing scheme, and Tidepoint Financial Technology, led by HSBC Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, has been approved. This regulatory framework is designed to protect users’ interests, promote the application of compliant stablecoins, address financial pain points, and drive the development of Hong Kong’s digital assets.

CryptoCity5h ago
Comment
0/400
No comments