House GOP Moves to Fast-Track CBDC Ban Through Market Structure Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives may be preparing a faster route to block the Federal Reserve from issuing a CBDC. Lawmakers are exploring whether to fold the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act into the broader Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which was already passed in July.

During a Monday hearing of the House Rules Committee, a draft agenda revealed the plan to merge the CBDC proposal with the market structure bill. This move would allow the combined legislation to bypass additional votes in the House and move straight to the Senate for consideration. The engrossment process, as it is formally called, ensures the text of the digital dollar ban becomes part of the final version of the bill.

Previous CBDC Ban Attempts

This is not the first time House Republicans have considered tying a CBDC prohibition to other digital asset legislation. In July, some lawmakers pushed to include the ban within the GENIUS Act, a bill regulating payment stablecoins. 

The proposal slowed progress before the summer recess. However, all three major bills, the GENIUS Act, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, eventually passed with limited bipartisan support.

Whether this new combined version will carry weight in the Senate remains uncertain. Senate Republicans on the Banking Committee are working on their own version of digital asset rules, known as the Responsible Financial Innovation Act. While it draws on the House bill, it is considered distinct legislation. 

Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, a strong backer of the effort, has said the committee hopes to move the bill forward by the end of September, with the possibility of it reaching the president’s desk by 2026.

Democrats Push for Additional Safeguards

Despite Republican control of both chambers, the narrow majorities mean some Democratic backing may be necessary. Democrats have introduced their own framework for digital asset regulation, emphasizing safeguards against what they describe as former President Donald Trump’s “undermining confidence” in the industry. 

Their concerns stem from Trump’s family ventures in cryptocurrency mining and token projects, which they argue could raise conflicts of interest.

It remains unclear whether the final version of the legislation will directly address Trump’s business ties to the sector. Still, both parties agree on the need for greater clarity and oversight in the fast-growing digital asset market. The committee is expected to take up the merged bill within the next two weeks, setting the stage for another round of debate over the future of U.S. crypto policy.