07.08.2026 14:00
Ethical provisions being debated for addition to the CLARITY Act in the U.S. could force President Donald Trump to divest his crypto assets due to conflict of interest. The Trump family has earned over $1 billion from crypto ventures since the president took office.
The CLARITY Act, which will regulate the structure of the crypto market, is grappling with an ethics debate in the Senate. Many lawmakers want stronger ethics provisions that would prevent sitting public officials from profiting from cryptocurrencies. At the center of this demand is President Donald Trump. According to information reflected in the press, a bipartisan ethics proposal could require Trump to divest his crypto-related assets to address the conflict of interest.
The scale of Trump's crypto assets is escalating the debate. Before taking office, Trump launched the memecoin named TRUMP, and his family established the World Liberty Financial venture. According to the 2025 financial disclosure, the president's income from crypto ventures reached approximately $1.4 billion. The fact that an Abu Dhabi-based entity invested $500 million in World Liberty Financial in January, and that another UAE-linked company made its $2 billion investment in Binance using World Liberty's USD1 stablecoin, has further highlighted this picture. Trump and the White House have always denied any conflict of interest. According to sources, the president does not directly manage his investments. His sons Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Barron Trump run the crypto operations.
ETHICS DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE AS VOTE APPROACHES
Discussions are ongoing for the CLARITY Act to be voted on in the Senate within the next few days. The bill requires 60 votes to pass. Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego are negotiating the ethics language to be added to the text. The draft Trump previously supported prohibited public officials and their spouses from issuing digital assets but excluded other family members and was slated to expire in January 2029. Democrats want the regulation to be permanent, grant enforcement authority to state attorneys general, and add a divestment provision.
IF THE LAW PASSES, MARKET CONFIDENCE MAY INCREASE
If the CLARITY Act is adopted, it is expected that regulatory uncertainty in the sector will decrease and investor protection will strengthen. This regulatory clarity is considered likely to boost investor confidence and institutional interest.
However, if a strong ethics provision is included in the text, the same law could force Trump to divest his crypto assets. Therefore, the fate of the bill depends on the two parties reaching a compromise on the ethics provisions and the Senate's pre-recess calendar.