247wallst.com · Sam Daodu · September 9, 2026
The CLARITY Act Could Face Another Hurdle Over an Ethics Dispute. Why XRP Could Be Hit Harder Than Bitcoin - 24/7 Wall St. [Skip to content](#content) [ ](https://247wallst.com/) Authoritative Financial News · Since 2006 [ ](https://247wallst.com/?s=) [ AI Investor Podcast ](https://podcast.247wallst.com/2400102?utm_source=247wallst&utm_campaign=site_topnav) ❚❚ At close S&P 5007,680.20+0.08% Dow Jones52,787.30+0.04% Nasdaq 10029,544.60+0.15% Russell 20002,960.94−0.01% S&P 5007,680.20+0.08% Dow Jones52,787.30+0.04% Nasdaq 10029,544.60+0.15% Russell 20002,960.94−0.01% S&P 5007,680.20+0.08% Dow Jones52,787.30+0.04% Nasdaq 10029,544.60+0.15% Russell 20002,960.94−0.01% S&P 5007,680.20+0.08% Dow Jones52,787.30+0.04% Nasdaq 10029,544.60+0.15% Russell 20002,960.94−0.01% S&P 5007,680.20+0.08% Dow Jones52,787.30+0.04% Nasdaq 10029,544.60+0.15% Russell 20002,960.94−0.01% S&P 5007,680.20+0.08% Dow Jones52,787.30+0.04% Nasdaq 10029,544.60+0.15% Russell 20002,960.94−0.01% [Cryptocurrency](https://247wallst.com/investing/cryptocurrency/) # The CLARITY Act Could Face Another Hurdle Over an Ethics Dispute. Why XRP Could Be Hit Harder Than Bitcoin Senator Tillis just issued a warning that could derail the CLARITY Act before September 15, and if negotiations collapse, XRP holders face a very different kind of fallout than Bitcoin investors.  By [Sam Daodu](https://247wallst.com/author/sam-daodu/) Published September 9, 2026, 3:22am ET · 4 min read [𝕏]() [f](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://247wallst.com/investing/cryptocurrency/2026/09/09/the-clarity-act-could-face-another-hurdle-over-an-ethics-dispute-why-xrp-could-be-hit-harder-than-bitcoin/) [](https://247wallst.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#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) ⧉ ## Quick Read * Senator Thom Tillis warns that the CLARITY Act will fail without White House engagement on ethics provisions, and the cloture vote is scheduled for September 15. * XRP lacks the institutional cushions that Bitcoin has, including spot ETFs, settled commodity status, and corporate treasury adoption, which makes its bull thesis entirely dependent on the bill passing. * XRP is down 22% since January 1 against Bitcoin's 10%, meaning a failed vote hits an asset already recovering from a much deeper hole. * The professional research desk has always been the part of Wall Street that retail investors could not buy. [**AlphaSpace by Yahoo Finance**](https://247wallst.com/go/yahoo-alphaspace?i=64c8ff62-4519-4ce6-98a6-12f022a41709&p=5f2b9330-1eda-48f2-a657-39f86514ba6d&pos=keypoints&tpid=1656905) opens one for **$39.95 a month**, and the first seven days cost nothing.1 (Sponsor) This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.  A judge's gavel rests among Bitcoin-themed currency and XRP coins, symbolizing the regulatory scrutiny and potential legal hurdles facing cryptocurrencies like XRP and Bitcoin, as highlighted in discussions around the CLARITY Act. > © J-Alone / Shutterstock.com XRP ([CRYPTO:XRP](https://247wallst.com/cryptocurrencies/XRP/)) trades around $1.42 today, while Bitcoin ([CRYPTO:BTC](https://247wallst.com/cryptocurrencies/BTC/)) trades around $78,600. Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said the Senate [crypto market structure bill](https://247wallst.com/investing/cryptocurrency/2026/08/07/xrp-falls-nearly-5-as-the-senate-runs-out-of-time-on-the-clarity-act/) will fail if the White House doesn’t try to bridge a gap over ethics provisions. Other Republican senators are now warning that the bill could run out of time around the week of September 14. The key date is September 15, when the Senate is scheduled to vote on cloture. The bill needs 60 votes to move forward to a full debate, meaning Republicans will need Democratic support. With negotiations still stuck on the ethics language, that 60-vote threshold suddenly looks much harder to reach. So what changed, and why would XRP carry more of this risk than Bitcoin? ## **Why This Hurdle Is Different From the Last Few**  The CLARITY Act is market structure legislation designed to divide crypto oversight between the [SEC and CFTC](https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/05/30/what-happens-to-crypto-if-the-clarity-act-becomes-law-in-july/), while establishing clearer rules for exchanges, brokers and token issuers. Since January, the bill has faced one hurdle after another, from finding floor time and navigating congressional recesses to counting votes and maintaining enough support. Each delay was frustrating, but none necessarily threatened the bill itself because lawmakers could always look for another opening on the calendar. This time, the problem is different because the disagreement is over what the bill contains, and lawmakers can’t solve that simply by finding another week to vote. Tillis has now put the ball in the White House’s court, saying the administration needs to help bridge the remaining gap over the ethics provisions. However, a warning that the bill could fail is not the same as the bill failing. The bigger concern is what happens if September’s window closes without a deal. A comprehensive crypto framework could then move from something lawmakers might resolve in the coming months to an issue that takes years to revisit. The market is already pricing in that possibility, with Polymarket now putting the odds of the bill becoming law in 2026 at roughly 16%, down sharply from over 80% in February. For XRP holders, that collapse in expectations could matter as much as the final Senate vote. ## **Why XRP Carries More Exposure Than Bitcoin**  XRP’s investment case leans more directly on U.S. regulatory treatment than Bitcoin’s does. The SEC and CFTC classified XRP as a commodity in March 2026, removing much of the regulatory uncertainty that followed the coin through the Ripple litigation. But a future administration can still change an agency ruling. The [CLARITY Act](https://247wallst.com/investing/cryptocurrency/2026/07/22/the-clarity-act-is-now-one-clause-away-from-passing-should-xrp-holders-celebrate/) would turn that status into law and provide the market structure rules XRP needs as institutional adoption expands. Bitcoin has other catalysts t