CLARITY Act Delay... Is XRP's Rise Opportunity Disappearing?

▲ Bitcoin (BTC), XRP (XRP), Cryptocurrency Regulation/AI Generated Image ©

The U.S. cryptocurrency market structure bill, the CLARITY Act, which was considered a key variable that would determine the mid- to long-term direction of XRP (XRP, Ripple) prices, has shifted from expectations of 'imminent passage' to a phase of 'schedule delay,' drawing market attention once again.

According to the cryptocurrency specialized media outlet Bitcoinist on April 22 (local time), market analysts, based on recent political statements, assessed that CLARITY Act negotiations have made significant progress, but also diagnosed that the actual bill processing schedule is more likely to be delayed than expected.

White House crypto advisor Patrick Witt stated that a compromise is underway on the stablecoin interest issue, which was a key point of contention between the banking sector and the crypto industry, and that remaining issues are in the final stages. Senator Mark Warner commented that “more progress has been made in four days than in four months,” and Senator Cynthia Lummis also assessed that 99% of the conflict has been resolved. It is also reported that most issues related to DeFi and commodity classification have been resolved.

However, the schedule remains a variable. Senator Thom Tillis conveyed the position that further coordination is needed on the stablecoin interest issue and that the bill's submission within April should be virtually postponed. Consequently, the markup, originally expected in April, is now likely to be postponed to May. CoinDesk also cited Senate aides, pointing out that while the schedule delay is not critical, legislative time will be limited due to the entry into the election phase after August.

This trend directly impacts XRP investor sentiment. The market views the CLARITY Act as an opportunity to 'resolve the discount' across the entire cryptocurrency market, which has been constrained by regulatory uncertainty, and expectations remain high that it could act as a strong bullish catalyst for XRP, especially given its narrative as a banking payment infrastructure. Some analysts believe that if the bill passes, structural capital inflows into major assets, including XRP, would be possible.

Ultimately, time is the crucial factor. If the bill passes within weeks, the upward momentum could strengthen, but if the schedule is significantly delayed, the possibility of gradually weakening expectations cannot be ruled out. The market has now entered a phase where it is more sensitive to 'when it will pass' rather than 'whether it will pass'.

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