Why Ripple Backs the CLARITY Act While Coinbase Walked Away

The US crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act, has exposed a growing split inside the crypto industry. While Coinbase withdrew support after recent Senate amendments, Ripple has publicly backed the bill and urged lawmakers to move forward. The divergence highlights how the same regulatory framework can produce very different winners and losers, depending on a company’s business model and strategic direction. 🚨NEW: Some of the crypto industry’s leading firms and trade associations are coming out in support of the @BankingGOP’s market structure bill this evening after Coinbase came out against it. So far, we’ve seen endorsements from @a16z, @circle, @krakenfx, @DigitalChamber,…— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) January 15, 2026 What the CLARITY Act Is Trying to Do The CLARITY Act aims to settle a long-running dispute in US crypto regulation: who should oversee crypto markets. At its core, the bill tries to draw clearer lines between the SEC and CFTC. That decision affects how tokens trade, how exchanges operate, how stablecoins are structured, and how DeFi fits into US law. The CLARITY Act just changed. The Senate amendment adds more SEC power, more disclosures, tighter stablecoin rules, and DeFi oversight.Coinbase has already opposed this version ❌ pic.twitter.com/XH0RB3XN7w— BeInCrypto (@beincrypto) January 14, 2026 Why the Senate Amendments Changed the Politics The House passed an earlier version of the bill that many crypto firms supported. But the Senate Banking Committee introduced a full rewrite, not minor tweaks. The Senate draft expands SEC influence, adds disclosure requirements for tokens, restricts stablecoin rewards, and brings parts of DeFi closer to bank-style compliance and surveillance. Those changes reshaped the incentives for major crypto companies. While long-overdue, this move by @SenatorTimScott and @BankingGOP on market structure is a massive step forward in providing workable frameworks for crypto, while continuing to protec...