The U.S. has approached a temporary ban on central bank digital currency. The House of Representatives approved a major housing accessibility bill, which included a restriction on issuing a CBDC until the end of 2030.
The document now goes to Donald Trump. The president has already supported this approach, so it is expected that he will sign the bill soon.
The Ban Passed Within the Housing Bill
The main topic of the document is formally unrelated to cryptocurrencies. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is aimed at addressing housing affordability issues in the U.S.
But it was this package that included the digital dollar provision. The House passed the bill by a vote of 358 to 32. The day before, the Senate supported it with a result of 85 to 5.
This format turned out to be politically convenient. Instead of a separate crypto bill, the CBDC ban passed as part of a broader and more popular package that is hard to block because of its housing component.
The Fed Will Be Restricted From Issuing CBDC
The bill text prohibits the Federal Reserve System from directly or indirectly issuing a central bank digital currency. The restriction also applies to digital assets that are essentially similar to a CBDC.
The ban will be in effect until December 31, 2030. This is not a permanent rejection of the digital dollar idea, but it is a serious pause for almost several years.
For Republicans, this is an important victory. They have long opposed CBDCs, seeing such currency as a risk to financial privacy and a possible tool of government control.
The Crypto Industry Received a Political Signal
For cryptocurrency supporters, the CBDC ban is also important. Many market participants see central bank digital currencies as an attempt to use blockchain technology in a centralized model.
Unlike bitcoin or open stablecoins, a CBDC is issued by the government and controlled by the central bank. This is exactly what worries crypto advocates.
The new provision shows that the anti-digital dollar stance has strengthened in Washington. At least until 2030, it will be more difficult for the Fed to move toward its own retail digital currency.
Stablecoins Excluded From the Ban
There is an important exception in the bill. The CBDC restriction should not interfere with dollar digital assets that are open, private, and do not require permission for use.
In effect, this leaves room for stablecoins. Such assets are issued by private companies and are usually pegged to the dollar, but are not central bank digital currency.
For the crypto market, this is a key detail. The U.S. is not just pausing CBDCs, but at the same time leaving space for private dollar infrastructure on the blockchain.
Emmer’s Idea Returned Through Another Bill
The ban largely repeats the provisions of the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, promoted by Republican Tom Emmer. This bill was introduced in June 2025, and a month later was supported by the House of Representatives.
But the document did not advance in the Senate. Now a similar provision has passed through another legislative route and ended up in the housing package.
This shows how crypto policy can pass through related laws. If a separate document gets stuck, its provisions can return in a broader package.
Congress Cleared the Way for Other Crypto Bills
After the housing package passes, lawmakers will have more room for other topics. The bill on crypto market structure, known as the CLARITY Act, remains on the agenda.
This document is supposed to define rules for digital assets and allocate areas of responsibility for regulators. It has long been promoted by some lawmakers and industry participants.
But timing is becoming a problem. With August recess and the midterm elections in November approaching, Congress has less and less time. Therefore, the likelihood of quickly passing such laws is decreasing.
CLARITY Act Faced Resistance
Despite months of negotiations between lawmakers, the crypto lobby, and the banking sector, the market structure bill is still causing disputes.
Galaxy Digital recently lowered its estimate of the bill’s chances of passing the Senate by the end of the year to 60%. The reason is simple: the calendar is getting tighter, and political disagreements have not decreased.
This means the CBDC ban could become one of the few major crypto shifts the U.S. manages to secure quickly. More complex rules for the token, exchange, and regulator markets may be delayed.
Why the CBDC Ban Matters for the Dollar
The digital dollar issue goes beyond the crypto market. A CBDC could become a direct digital obligation of the central bank, available for transactions through government infrastructure.
Supporters of this model talk about faster payments, lower costs, and modernizing the financial system. Opponents see the risk of surveillance, privacy restrictions, and the displacement of private payment solutions.
The adopted bill temporarily fixes the second approach. The U.S. is betting not on a Fed digital currency, but on private dollar instruments and the existing banking system.
What Happens Next?
After Trump signs, the CBDC ban will be in effect until the end of 2030. For the Fed, this means a pause in any attempts to issue a central bank digital currency or a similar instrument.
For the crypto industry, this is a political victory. Stablecoins and open dollar assets retain room for development, while the idea of a government digital dollar temporarily takes a back seat.
The main takeaway is simple. The U.S. is not closing the topic of digital money completely, but is choosing a private path instead of a CBDC. If the law takes effect, the Fed’s digital dollar will remain blocked until 2030, and Congress’s attention will shift to rules for stablecoins, exchanges, and the crypto market as a whole.
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