Crypto Markets Surge After Senate Blocks Clarity Act in 49-50 Cloture Vote

Cryptocurrency markets surged following the Senate's rejection of the Clarity Act, lifting total market capitalization from $2.65 trillion to approximately $2.95 trillion. Bitcoin gained roughly 11% and Ether rose 12% after the comprehensive regulatory bill failed in a 49-50 vote, blocked as every Senate Democrat opposed cloture despite 126 prior amendments. Senator Cynthia Lummis attributed the defeat to partisan opposition toward Donald Trump and urged the industry to focus on regulators. Following the vote, the SEC issued a five-year innovation exemption permitting tokenized U.S. equities to trade via automated market makers.