CLARITY Act Update After Failure: SEC Chair Breaks Silence, Says ‘Stay Tuned’

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins thanked everyone involved in pushing the CLARITY Act forward, across the administration, Congress, investors and innovators, while confirming the SEC will move ahead regardless of the bill’s outcome. “I have been unequivocal: with or without legislation, we will act decisively within the SEC’s statutory authority to deliver certainty for American investors and for the entrepreneurs shaping our technological future,” Atkins said. “Stay tuned.”

A Pattern of Agency-Level Action

Atkins’ comments followed a separate announcement detailing the SEC’s latest regulatory moves, which he said reflect a focus on keeping Commission rules within the agency’s statutory authority while aligning with current and anticipated market practices. The SEC proposed rescinding Rule 14a-8, arguing the rule exceeds the agency’s statutory scope and intrudes into matters of state law. The Commission also proposed amendments to Rule 14a-4(c), aimed at giving companies more flexibility and shareholders greater control over proposals eligible for discretionary proxy voting authority.

House Moves Forward on Crypto Tax Legislation

Away from the SEC, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced the Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act in a 38-5 vote. The bill would ease tax treatment for small crypto transactions, clarify how stablecoins are handled, and address rules governing mining, staking and wash sales. It still needs full House approval before moving to the Senate.

The legislation would eliminate capital gains tax on crypto transactions and network fees under $10, with certain exceptions, and also covers staking, mining, tokenized assets, wash sales, and rules for crypto brokers.

A Second Bill in Play

Alongside the tax bill, lawmakers are also considering the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill, which would lock up the roughly $25 billion in Bitcoin currently held by the US government for a period of 20 years.

What It Means

With the CLARITY Act stalled in the Senate, momentum in Washington has shifted toward narrower, more targeted measures, agency rulemaking from the SEC on one front, and House-level tax and reserve legislation on the other, rather than the comprehensive market structure framework the CLARITY Act was designed to deliver.