A legislative move in the US Senate aims to prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a digital dollar through the end of the decade, potentially securing a multi-year opening for private stablecoin issuers.
US Senate Moves to Block Digital Dollar, Opening Stablecoin Opportunities
4 March 2026 - 09:21 CET
The language is embedded in the Senate's amended version of H.R. 6644, a broader piece of housing supply legislation originally introduced in the House of Representatives, known as the "21st Century ROAD to Housing Act." It is co-sponsored by Senators Tim Scott, a Republican, and Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat.
Fast-track advance
The bill is currently moving on the Senate floor, after passing the House of Representatives in a vote last month. On Monday, a majority of Senators voted to fast-track the legislation and advance the bill forward, clearing the way for debate and consideration on the Senate floor.
While the bill's primary focus is housing policy, Title X of the text introduces a provision that would amend the Federal Reserve Act to restrict the central bank’s authority to create a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The amendment would bar the Federal Reserve from issuing a CBDC, or any "substantially similar" digital asset, either directly to individuals or indirectly through intermediaries until 31 Dec 2030.
Runway for stablecoin providers
The measure still requires a final Senate vote, and any changes would need to be reconciled with the House before it can reach the president for final signature into law.
However, the bill excludes "open, permissionless, and private" digital currencies that replicate the privacy features of physical cash, effectively giving private-sector payment and stablecoin providers a clear regulatory runway through the end of the decade.
