Overview
- Senate leaders tucked a temporary prohibition on a Federal Reserve–issued CBDC into the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, lasting only through 2030.
- Senator Ted Cruz filed an amendment to strike the moratorium’s expiration, aiming to convert the restriction into a permanent statutory ban.
- Representative Michael Cloud and 28 colleagues urged Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader John Thune to reject a sunset and enact a lasting prohibition.
- The House previously passed the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act (H.R. 1919), but the Senate has not advanced a standalone ban, and the housing bill would still allow CBDC research.
- Critics emphasize surveillance and programmability risks, while policymakers highlight momentum for regulated private stablecoins, with some market analysts pointing to rising XRPL activity as participants position for a CBDC pause.