U.S. Senate advances CLARITY Act as crypto policy faces security scrutiny

The U.S. Senate is set to consider the CLARITY Act in September as debate over digital asset regulation broadens beyond financial oversight into national security. Former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says weak crypto rules leave openings for China and North Korea to challenge U.S. financial influence and evade controls.

Highlights

• The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the CLARITY Act on Sept. 15, with cloture filed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
• The Act would extend the Treasury Department’s special-measures authority under Section 311 of the USA Patriot Act to clamp down on crypto-related loopholes exploited by actors like the Lazarus Group.
• The measure is positioned as both a national security and financial services priority, aiming to counter China's state payment systems and reinforce U.S. financial dominance amid rising crypto-related risks.

Senate timetable and security case

According to

, in an op-ed in the Financial Times, Esper says the bill now before the Senate should be treated not only as a financial services measure but also as a national security priority.

Esper argues that China is investing in state-directed payment systems designed to bypass American supervision and weaken the U.S. dollar's central role in global finance. He also says the legislation would give the U.S. stronger tools to close crypto-related loopholes used by North Korean actors, including the Lazarus Group, to avoid U.S. financial controls.