CLARITY Act debate intensifies as Trump and Dimon diverge on crypto rules

Tensions over U.S. crypto market structure escalated this week after President Donald Trump accused major banks of attempting to undermine pro-crypto legislation, while Jamie Dimon defended stricter regulatory guardrails for digital asset firms.

Trump pressures banks over CLARITY Act; Dimon pushes back on stablecoin rewards

In a post on social media, Trump said the “Genius Act” marked the first major step toward making the United States the “Crypto Capital of the World” and warned that banks were threatening progress on the broader CLARITY Act.

He argued that delays risk pushing innovation to China and other jurisdictions, adding that Americans “should earn more money on their money.”

Trump framed the legislative push as part of a broader effort to cement U.S. leadership in digital assets, accusing banks of attempting to “hold The Clarity Act hostage” and undercut what he described as a “powerful Crypto Agenda.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Dimon, speaking in a CNBC interview, pushed back on a central issue dividing banks and crypto firms: whether exchanges should be allowed to offer stablecoin “rewards.” He said such rewards are effectively interest payments and argued that firms offering yield on customer balances should face the same regulatory framework as banks.

“If you want to be a bank, become a bank,” Dimon said, pointing to requirements including FDIC insurance, anti-money laundering compliance, capital and liquidity standards, reporting rules, and community lending obligations.

The JPMorgan chief emphasized that banks support competition and blockchain innovation, noting that JPMorgan has developed its own deposit coin and uses blockchain infrastructure, but warned against what he described as an uneven playing field.

“It can’t be completely skewed,” he said, arguing that regulatory disparities could ultimately harm consumers and financial stability.

The dispute underscores a growing divide between crypto-native firms and traditional financial institutions as lawmakers weigh market structure legislation designed to clarify oversight between regulators and establish rules for digital asset intermediaries.

With Trump elevating the issue politically and Wall Street defending existing safeguards, the battle over the CLARITY Act is shaping up as a defining fight over how and under what rules crypto integrates into the U.S. financial system.