Clarity Act Fails Senate Vote, 2026 Passage Odds Drop to Single Digits, Market Slips

PANews reported on September 16 that on the afternoon of September 15 local time, the U.S. Senate held a procedural cloture vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act). The vote required 60 votes to overcome a filibuster and formally open floor debate and amendment proceedings, but it failed with 49 votes in favor and 50 against (far below the 60-vote threshold, and not even achieving a simple majority). All Democratic senators present and independent senators voted against it, along with four Republican senators (Susan Collins, Josh Hawley, Jerry Moran, and Thom Tillis); Democratic Senator Chris Coons did not vote. Tillis subsequently filed a motion to reconsider, leaving open the possibility of further consideration.

Following the failed vote, Bitcoin fell approximately 4% in the short term, with crypto-related stocks such as Coinbase and Circle seeing larger declines. Prediction market platforms have significantly lowered the probability of the legislation becoming law within 2026 to single digits.