The Crypto Council for Innovation is pushing back against CLARITY Act criticism, arguing the bill strengthens AML rules and consumer protections.
The Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) has launched a public campaign to challenge what it describes as the biggest misconceptions surrounding the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act.
The industry group says the legislation is being misrepresented at a critical moment when lawmakers are moving ahead of a Senate vote.
Breaking Down the Biggest Myths Around the CLARITY Act
In a series of public statements ahead of a key week on Capitol Hill, CCI said it is working to "set the record straight" by addressing claims that the CLARITY Act weakens financial oversight, favors the crypto industry, or lacks consumer protections.
One of the biggest criticisms is that the bill would make it easier for criminals to exploit digital assets. CCI strongly rejects that claim, calling it false.
According to the organization, the legislation significantly expands anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) requirements.
It also increases information sharing between regulators and the private sector, gives the U.S. Treasury additional authority to tackle money laundering risks, and provides $150 million in additional funding for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to strengthen enforcement against illicit crypto activity.
CCI argues these measures make the CLARITY Act one of the most comprehensive digital asset law enforcement proposals introduced in Congress.
Another criticism is that the legislation prioritizes crypto companies over investors. CCI disputes this, saying the CLARITY Act introduces one of the strongest consumer protection frameworks proposed for the U.S. digital asset market.
The organization says the bill, alongside the Digital Commodities Intermediaries Act approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee, establishes clearer rules for digital asset intermediaries while strengthening customer protections.
CCI also pointed to support from the National Black Church Initiative, a coalition representing 150,000 African American and Latino faith communities with 27.7 million members, which endorsed the legislation because it believes the bill improves consumer safeguards while expanding economic opportunities.
Critics have also argued that the legislation was drafted primarily to benefit crypto firms.
CCI rejects that narrative, saying the CLARITY Act is the result of years of bipartisan negotiations involving lawmakers and congressional staff across multiple committees.
According to the organization, describing the legislation as an industry-written proposal ignores the lengthy legislative process that shaped the bill.
The bill's self-custody provisions have generated significant debate, with opponents arguing they could create loopholes for illegal activity.
CCI says that interpretation is incorrect. It notes that the Keep Your Coins Act protects only lawful self-custody, while preserving the government's ability to enforce the Bank Secrecy Act, sanctions laws, AML requirements, and terrorism financing rules.
The organization also said the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) language protects neutral software developers without limiting regulators' existing enforcement powers.
Some critics argue that crypto adoption is already growing without new legislation.
CCI believes that approach would create greater regulatory uncertainty. It argues that without a dedicated market structure framework, digital asset businesses will either continue operating without consistent investor protections or relocate to jurisdictions with clearer regulations.
According to the group, regulatory certainty would encourage companies to build within the United States while keeping crypto activity subject to U.S. oversight.
Another concern raised by critics is that stablecoins could encourage consumers to move deposits away from traditional banks.
CCI says the legislation directly addresses that issue through bipartisan language introduced by Senators Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks.
The bill prohibits stablecoin issuers from paying interest or offering rewards that function like interest-bearing bank deposits, bars attempts to circumvent those restrictions, and requires a government study examining whether stablecoin reward programs could contribute to deposit flight.
According to CCI, these provisions are intended to support innovation while protecting the traditional banking system.
Attention is now turning to the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to push for a full floor vote before the August 10 congressional recess.
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