SEC Chair Paul Atkins Sees CLARITY Act Advancing as Crucial Senate Vote Nears

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said he expected the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act to move forward in September as the Senate prepares to vote on another crypto market-structure bill.

Atkins told Fox Business he expected the measure to be considered on September 15. He also said he hoped the bill would pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Donald Trump. However, given that this was not a passage vote, the Senate was expected to vote on cloture on the motion to proceed, effectively determining whether the Senate will consider the bill in full session.

Related: CLARITY Act Crypto Regulation Impact: How the September Vote Could Reshape the U.S. Crypto Market

Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed cloture before Congress recessed in August. Cloture motions, which legally cannot be filed until 30 hours after the bill was filed, require 60 votes, which would require the support of Democrats in addition to the Republicans.

The CLARITY Act would establish a federal framework for regulating digital assets and draw clear lines of jurisdiction over digital assets between the SEC and CFTC. H.R. 3633 passed the House of Representatives in July 2025 with a vote of 294-134, with 78 Democrats voting in favor. The Senate Banking Committee voted to advance its version in May 2026.