At the beginning of this week, the GENIUS bill passed with bipartisan support in the Senate vote. This is the first major cryptocurrency bill adopted in the United States. But when will it become law?
When will the stablecoin bill take effect? Here is a summary of the next steps for the GENIUS bill to become the official stablecoin law in the United States.
House Passage
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, with two main paths:
- Quickly adopt the Senate version to avoid delays.
- Or push the STABLE bill to draft its own stablecoin bill and reconcile differences through a conference committee.
The House plans to pass the bill before the August recess. Significant pressure and signals from the administration could accelerate the timeline.
The House and Senate of the U.S. Congress are separate institutions with different members, rules, and political dynamics.
The bill passed the Senate 68-30, showing bipartisan support. This particularly indicates a cross-party consensus on systemic safeguards and institutional guardrails for stablecoins.
The prospects in the House are cautiously optimistic, but with more nuanced perspectives:
Positive Indicators:
- Senate momentum pressures the House to act quickly before the August recess.
- The bipartisan Senate vote provides political cover for moderate House members to support it.
- Key House Republicans (especially on the Financial Services Committee) support regulatory clarity for stablecoins.
Friction Points:
- Some House Democrats remain skeptical. Particularly about consumer protection and systemic risk oversight, with some criticizing the Senate version as industry-friendly.
- Maxine Waters, the senior Democratic member of the Financial Services Committee, pushed an alternative STABLE bill that is more stringent about reserves, audits, and government-issued token governance.
- House leadership may demand amendments, which could trigger a conference committee to reconcile with the Senate version.
Conference Committee (If Necessary)
If the House modifies the language, both sides will form a conference committee to negotiate an integrated text. This stage will resolve discrepancies in oversight regimes, reporting frequencies, and issuance standards.
After agreement, the House and Senate must approve the final reconciled bill.
Presidential Signature
Once both sides pass the same text, it will be sent to President Trump for signature. The president can sign within 10 days (excluding Sundays) or it can become law without signature.
Once enacted, agencies (Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, CFTC, etc.) will have 180 days to issue final rules covering oversight, reserve requirements, audits, licensing, disclosures, and enforcement protocols.
GENIUS Bill Timeline Summary
| By end of July, before recess | Expected Timing |
| House Vote | By end of July, before recess |
| Conference Committee (if needed) | Late July – Early August |
| Final Congressional Approval | Mid-August |
| Presidential Signature | End of August (within 10 days of passage) |
| Rule-making Completed | Around end of February 2026 (180 days after enactment) |
If the House does not act by August, the GENIUS bill risks losing momentum.
This would not immediately invalidate the bill but could postpone final resolution to the end of Q4 2025 or 2026, depending on political circumstances.
Overall, speed is crucial for legislators to secure bipartisan support and leverage institutional preparedness.
