The U.S. Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act on September 15 in a 49-50 cloture vote on H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. Ripple responded by stating that the legislative setback does not alter XRP's legal position or disrupt its business.
Ripple pointed to its 2023 court victory establishing that XRP is not a security, and a March 2026 joint interpretation from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) naming XRP a digital commodity as evidence of its established legal clarity.
Ripple's Statement on Legislative Outcome
In its post-vote statement, Ripple acknowledged the failed legislation as a missed opportunity for the broader digital asset industry but distinguished that outcome from XRP's existing position. The company emphasized: "The bottom line is straightforward: Ripple and XRP stand on settled ground. That legal clarity is a very meaningful advantage for Ripple, particularly as the broader U.S. digital asset market continues to operate without a durable statutory framework that the Clarity Act could have provided."
The CLARITY Act incorporated 126 changes requested during negotiations before the failed vote.
Business Operations Continue
Ripple stated that commercial demand continues across payments, stablecoins, and institutional markets. The company said its global footprint, customer relationships, and ability to expand remain unchanged.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse previously outlined institutional payment infrastructure opportunities tied to $16 trillion in annual payments and clearing activity. The company has expanded its stablecoin infrastructure through Ripple Mint, which provides eligible institutional customers tools to mint, redeem, and manage Ripple USD (RLUSD).
XRP Ledger Development
Development continues on the XRP Ledger, the public blockchain on which XRP is the native digital asset. The network provides infrastructure for XRP transactions and supports applications focused on payments, tokenization, and blockchain-based financial activity.
