CLARITY Act Clears Senate Panel 15-9, BTC Staking Gains at $82K

The Senate Banking Committee advanced the 309-page CLARITY Act 15-9 on May 14, classifying BTC/ETH as non-securities via a Jan. 1 2026 ETF cutoff, enabling bank custody and staking while limiting stablecoin yields to activity-based rewards. The bill progressed rapidly after the White House set a July 4 target on May 6-7, a draft release on May 12, and bipartisan compromises on ethics and DeFi. Bitcoin rallied 2.8-3.5% to near $82,000 with market cap testing $2.7T, though full Senate passage requires 60 votes and a May 17 analyst noted the measure is not yet crypto's 'Bretton Woods moment.'