[News Brief] Apr 22, morning | U.S. Senate Faces Obstacles in Advancing the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act

With only four days left before the August recess, the U.S. Senate is running out of time to make progress on the CLARITY Act.

Bipartisan negotiations have yet to conclude as the White House reviews a compromise on ethics provisions. Bitcoin.com News reported that the Senate is pushing to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) within an increasingly tight legislative schedule. Disagreements over the bill’s ethics provisions are delaying bipartisan consensus. As the White House reviews a compromise proposal and negotiations continue between both parties, it remains uncertain whether the Senate can move the bill forward before the August recess.

There are claims that U.S. Senate leadership is seeking a vote on the CLARITY Act, a crypto regulatory bill, before entering the August recess.

The Bitcoin Historian account on X said on the 4th that Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Punchbowl, “We’ll stay here until we get this done.” The post claimed that the remark referred to a vote on the CLARITY Act. If a vote takes place, the bill would move one step further in the Senate process.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong urged the U.S. Senate to pass the CLARITY Act this week.

According to Bitcoin.com News, Armstrong said on the 3rd that one in four Americans owns cryptocurrency, increasing pressure on the Senate to act on the bill. He also argued that voter support is stronger for lawmakers who back the CLARITY Act.

Strategy Inc. sold 1,638 Bitcoin (BTC) last week for $104.7 million, reducing its holdings to 842,138 BTC.

The Block reported that Strategy disclosed the sale. The transaction generated $104.7 million. Separately from any additional company sales, Michael Saylor said, “I have personally never sold any of the Bitcoin I own.”

1,596 Bitcoin (BTC) were stolen in the Coldcard hack, with losses estimated to exceed $100 million.

Galaxy Research said in a report, cited by Cointelegraph, that the confirmed amount stolen so far stands at 1,596 BTC. The report estimated that potential losses could reach $130 million.

The Defiant reported that more than $114 million was drained in an attack exploiting a vulnerability in the Coldcard hardware wallet.

Victims said they lost life savings despite following security best practices. They reported using air-gapped devices, metal seed phrase backup plates, and bank safe deposit boxes. They said the attacker exploited a Coldcard vulnerability, causing funds accumulated over years to disappear within minutes. Victims stated that even after following recommended self-custody security measures, they were unable to prevent the outflow of funds.

A tanker was reportedly struck off the coast of Oman, raising concerns over the safety of maritime transport in the Middle East.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report that a tanker had been struck off the coast of Oman and issued an alert. More confirmation is needed regarding the impact of the incident on oil shipments, crude prices, and volatility in risk assets.

A cargo ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident occurred about 20 nautical miles (approximately 37 kilometers) northeast of Khasab, Oman. The UKMTO reported that a cargo vessel had come under attack in the area.

The U.S. Treasury raised its borrowing estimate for July through September to $739 billion.

Crypto Briefing reported that the increase in U.S. borrowing could push Treasury yields higher and affect financial markets. It also suggested that the move could influence the cryptocurrency market through dollar liquidity and demand for stablecoins.

BlackRock is launching two tokenized money market funds and pursuing a structure that would meet reserve asset requirements under the GENIUS Act.

CoinGape reported that BlackRock is expanding its digital asset business and is seeking to ensure that the products satisfy reserve asset requirements under the GENIUS Act. The related products were filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in May.