The U.S. Senate imposes a legislative moratorium on the digital dollar until 2030.
The American legislative body has taken a decisive step toward limiting state control over digital finance. The U.S. Senate approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which introduces a direct ban on the Federal Reserve issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) until the end of 2030. This involves a complete prohibition on any CBDC operations — both directly and through financial institutions or third parties.
The vote showed overwhelming support for the initiative: 85 senators voted in favor, and only five opposed. This indicates that a stable consensus has formed in Congress regarding the need to preserve the dollar in its traditional, non-digital form controlled by the state.
Exceptions and Reservations
The bill's text provides an important exception: the ban does not apply to an "open, permissionless, and privacy-preserving" form of the dollar currency. In effect, lawmakers aim to protect the anonymity of cash dollars, preventing the creation of a fully traceable digital version. Even after the moratorium expires in 2030, the Fed will not be able to launch a CBDC without separate, special approval from Congress.
The next stage is a vote in the House of Representatives. If the law is passed, it will be a serious blow to plans for the global adoption of state digital currencies, which are being actively promoted in China and the European Union.
My professional perspective: The Senate's decision is not just a bureaucratic delay. It is a clear signal to the market that the U.S. intends to preserve the decentralized nature of its monetary system. While other countries rush to implement fully controlled digital assets, America is choosing the path of protecting privacy and financial freedom. This could provide a significant advantage to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which are permissionless and preserve anonymity.