Coinbase Exec Backs U.S. CLARITY Act Progress Despite Market Pressure

Highlights:

• The U.S. CLARITY Act faces complex challenges compared to previous legislation.
• Coinbase sees rising global crypto regulation pushing U.S. lawmakers to act fast.
• The upcoming Senate session on January 15 is critical for the U.S. CLARITY Act’s future.

The U.S. CLARITY Act has remained in progress despite industry frustrations over the delay. Coinbase executive John D’Agostino recently defended the slower strides, citing its foundational nature. He described the bill as being much more complicated than past efforts, such as the GENIUS Act.

D’Agostino, speaking on CNBC, said that the U.S. CLARITY Act will provide the foundation of the whole crypto sphere. Although some legislators and players in the industry anticipated quicker progress, he remarked that the introduction of initial laws can take longer.

The U.S. lawmakers are under pressure as other nations proceed with developing crypto laws. An example of this is Europe, which has already adopted MiCA and DAC8, which makes the regulatory gap more visible. D’Agostino believes that it is this global pressure that will compel the U.S. to act swiftly in early 2026.

Key Differences Between CLARITY and the GENIUS Act

The GENIUS Act, which was signed in July 2025, primarily addressed the frameworks concerning stablecoins. D’Agostino argued that it was transformative but concerned less complicated structural issues. The U.S. CLARITY Act, on the other hand, deals with more structural issues in the market.

According to him, CLARITY was essential to crypto becoming a mature asset like other major asset classes. D’Agostino also noted that lawmakers need to carefully consider its consequences to avoid future regulatory gaps.

In September last year, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong also gave a confidence statement regarding the bill. He described the bill as a “freight train” that would propel crypto innovation in the U.S. Armstrong Further stated that the enactment of such a law would prevent regulatory overreach and ensure the growth of the industry in the United States. Notably, the upcoming Senate session on the passage of the market structure bill on January 15 is perceived as a turning point.

Global Regulation Pushes U.S. to Act

The urgency to act in the U.S. has been enhanced by crypto regulations in other jurisdictions. Countries such as Spain have already implemented the EU’s MiCA framework. Meanwhile, the UAE has also taken a step in offering regulatory transparency related to digital assets.

D’Agostino cautioned that further stalling would lead to a talent exodus in the U.S. He confirmed that there was a “massive flight of talent” in progress to nations with more explicit regulations. The GENIUS Act helped ease some of that, but more comprehensive laws, such as CLARITY, are required.

White House AI and crypto advisor David Sacks recently said that the bill was “closer than ever” to being made law. He attributed the urgency of the bill to maintaining the competitiveness of the U.S. in blockchain and digital innovation.

Meanwhile, CoinShares analysts noted that the crypto outflows in December were probably affected by delays around the U.S. CLARITY Act. In the week ending December 19, digital asset investment products recorded withdrawals amounting to $952 million. One of the key reasons cited by CoinShares was the prolonged regulatory uncertainty.