Senator Cynthia Lummis accused banks of deliberately obstructing the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, known as the CLARITY Act, by demanding changes to the bill before supporting it. The legislation stalled when the Senate left for its summer recess without a vote and is scheduled for an initial Senate vote on September 15. A central dispute concerns whether crypto platforms should be allowed to pay rewards on stablecoins, which banks fear could draw deposits into digital wallets. Critics are also seeking stronger conflict-of-interest rules covering elected officials, including the president, who might profit from cryptocurrency ventures tied to their positions. The bill, which cleared the House last year, would define the boundary between assets regulated as securities by the Securities and Exchange Commission and digital commodities overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Supporters say that clarity could reduce legal and compliance uncertainty and encourage institutional participation. Bitcoin market sentiment toward 2026 has weakened, with prediction markets showing low confidence that it will reach $200,000 by December 31, 2026. The bill's prospects, possible SEC and CFTC action if Congress fails to act, and Federal Reserve interest-rate decisions are expected to influence the regulatory outlook and broader crypto-market dynamics.