The US Senate passed a major housing bill on 12 Mar that includes restrictions on a potential US central bank digital currency (CBDC), embedding a crypto policy fight into legislation aimed at boosting housing supply.
US CBDC Ban Moves Closer to Law, but Path Remains Uncertain
12 March 2026 - 21:01 CET
By Ana Pereira
The CBDC provision could complicate the bill’s path in the House, where some lawmakers are pushing to strengthen the restrictions or make them permanent.
The legislation, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, passed the Senate in an 89–10 vote with broad bipartisan support for measures aimed at increasing housing supply and improving affordability across the US.
The Senate version of the bill was introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who have promoted it as a bipartisan effort to address housing shortages and rising costs.
The House approved its own version of the housing package earlier this year in a 390–9 vote, reflecting overwhelming bipartisan support.
Digital dollar curbs
The bill includes a wide range of housing policy changes, including reforms to federal housing programs, efforts to encourage new residential construction and provisions designed to reduce regulatory barriers to development.
Alongside those housing measures, the Senate version adds language restricting the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail central bank digital currency - either directly to the public or indirectly through intermediaries - through the end of 2030, which opponents warn could expand government surveillance of financial transactions.
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where lawmakers may seek to modify the CBDC restrictions or negotiate changes as part of a broader reconciliation of housing policy priorities.
Uncertain path in Congress
The bill could also face uncertainty at the White House. President Donald Trump has recently said he will not sign other legislation until Congress passes new voter-identification rules, a demand that could complicate the path for bills moving through Capitol Hill.
Efforts to curb a US central bank digital currency have repeatedly stalled in Congress. Several bills introduced since the 117th Congress have sought to limit the Federal Reserve’s ability to issue or test a digital dollar, but none have cleared both chambers.
