July 16, 2025
The act is referred to as the GENIUS Act, and it is among the vital bills that will establish regulations over crypto in the future; the bill has been delayed in the U.S. House of Representatives. It was defeated by the vote of 196-222, and the bill could not be brought to the floor and subject to the full debate during the anticipated Crypto Week.
Another possible highlight of the week was also the GENIUS Act that was introduced together with the CLARITY Act and the Anti-CBDC Act. The lawmakers had been eager to ram through major calls on the way the U.S. should treat crypto regulation. Instead, the inability to make any procedural vote has hampered any kind of movement, bringing uncertainty to the crypto sphere.
Internal Divisions Among Republicans
In spite of the fact that the bill was sponsored by republicans, they did not support it; most republicans voted no. One of them was the lack of a strong ban on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) included in the GENIUS Act. Part of Some legislators, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, argued that the bill still left indirect support to a U.S. digital dollar, which they strongly oppose.
This debate undermined the unity of the Republicans, despite former President Donald Trump urging the GOP members to vote in favor of the crypto bills. Trump himself recently declared that he would like to turn the U.S. into a crypto leader in the world, yet his support did not manage to reconcile the party.
Democrats Push Back
The democrats have criticized the GENIUS Act since its inception. According to them, under Representative Maxine Waters, the bill lacked protection, and it brought in the prospect of harmful activity in the crypto sector. In a post-vote statement issued by Waters and other democrats, they accused republicans of encouraging poor legislation that was not well monitored.
Democrats also have labeled it an Anti-Crypto Corruption Week at the start of this week to highlight their perceived flaws in the proposals related to crypto sponsored by the Republicans. The failure of the vote also caused them to second-guess the GOP strategy when it comes to digital properties.
What Happens Next?
Because the procedural vote failed, the GENIUS Act and the other related bills cannot move forward for now. Lawmakers are expected to revisit the issue soon, but there is no confirmed date for a new vote.
With Republican support divided and Democratic opposition strong, the future of these bills is now unclear. Some experts say the GENIUS Act may need major changes to win enough votes in the House.
Bitcoin Price Rises Despite Setback
Even amid such a political impasse, the price of Bitcoin increased significantly, which is an indication that confidence is still high among investors. On July 14, Bitcoin climbed to $123,000 and was still trading at over $117,000 despite the unsuccessful vote.
The traders were anticipating the passage of the GENIUS Act and had caused a rise in talks of Bitcoin prices before it occurred. However, despite the delay, numerous observers feel that further regulation is still in the future, and equity markets are triggered with hope.
Bitcoin Surges Despite Block
Congress in the United States is stuck in its quest to enact significant crypto laws. The attempt to pass the GENIUS Act reveals that there are severe political rifts as to how to regulate cryptocurrency. Although adherents were looking forward to the Crypto Week as a way of getting clarity, it has given rise to more questions.
At this point, the crypto industry and investors will wait to observe if there is any chance of lawmakers establishing a common meeting point or if there are more delays to expect.
