The U.S. CBDC ban, passed overwhelmingly by Congress, was thrown into doubt on Wednesday after President Donald Trump postponed signing the housing bill that carries the provision. The House had approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a 358–32 vote, following the Senate’s 85–5 approval a day earlier. The bill would bar the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency or any digital asset substantially similar to one, with a sunset clause on December 31, 2030. Republican lawmakers cast the measure as a housing victory, but its digital‑dollar ban became a focal point for the crypto industry.
Just before a scheduled White House signing ceremony, Trump said the housing package was of “minor importance” and demanded Congress first pass the SAVE America Act. The last‑minute reversal clouds the fate of the CBDC prohibition, which had appeared set to become law. The delay creates a procedural risk, as the housing bill already cleared both chambers with veto‑proof margins, but the president’s signature remains essential.
Unlike the legislative wrangling, the Ethereum Foundation announced deep cuts. The nonprofit laid off 54 employees, roughly 20% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring aimed at leaner, long‑term funding. Co‑founder Vitalik Buterin had outlined a plan to slash the foundation’s budget by 40%, shifting from spending 15% of remaining funds annually to just 5% after the next funding phase—an endowment‑style model. Priority areas now include scaling, privacy, security, and censorship resistance, with a new structure focused on protocol work, users, community, and institutions. The shake‑up follows the resignation of co‑executive director Hsiao-Wei Wang, raising fresh questions about Ethereum’s governance.
Adding to the policy debate, former Bank for International Settlements general manager Agustín Carstens softened his stance on stablecoins at the Point Zero Forum in Zurich. He said stablecoins can coexist with fiat money and support innovation, inclusion, and lower costs—a sharp departure from his earlier criticism of crypto‑linked money. His successor, Pablo Hernández de Cos, has taken a colder view, highlighting an ongoing divide among central bankers. The U.S. CBDC ban, now on hold, intensifies the spotlight on stablecoin regulation as an alternative path for digital money.
