Key Takeaways
- Alderoty called for the crypto industry to coordinate its policy message.
- The Senate rejected cloture on the motion to proceed to the CLARITY Act in a 49-50 vote.
- Ripple says federal market structure legislation remains necessary.
Alderoty Calls for One Crypto Voice After Senate Setback
The crypto industry’s response to Washington needs to become more coordinated after the CLARITY Act failed to advance, according to Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty, who also serves as president of the Ripple-funded National Cryptocurrency Association (NCA). He made the argument in a Sept. 17 post on X, two days after the Senate vote.
Alderoty framed the outcome as a political setback rather than a rejection of cryptocurrency adoption or the need for federal rules. “Politics beat policy this week. That’s the lesson, not the outrage,” he wrote, before pointing to crypto ownership across the United States and continued opposition to the industry’s legislative priorities.
His reference to 67 million Americans tracks with the National Cryptocurrency Association’s 2026 State of Crypto Holders survey, conducted with The Harris Poll, which estimated that more than 67 million U.S. adults own cryptocurrency. Alderoty used that figure to argue that the industry’s presence will persist regardless of the legislative defeat.
The Ripple executive then turned his criticism inward, arguing that competing messages from crypto companies and advocacy groups weakened the industry’s position. He shared:
“Our industry has too many voices pushing too many messages. That’s on us to fix. It’s time to speak with one voice through one megaphone.”
CLARITY Act Fell Short of Senate Threshold
The comments followed the Senate’s Sept. 15 procedural vote on H.R. 3633, when cloture failed 49-50. The motion required three-fifths support to advance, leaving the crypto market structure legislation stalled despite months of negotiations over its regulatory framework.
Ripple described the result as a missed opportunity in its post-vote response, arguing that U.S. consumers and digital asset businesses still need uniform federal standards. The company has supported legislation that would establish clearer jurisdiction and operating rules for cryptocurrency markets.
The defeat also followed public support from Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse before the vote. He had backed arguments for passage as lawmakers considered a substantially revised version of the legislation, with more than 100 changes incorporated during negotiations.
Ripple Says Legislative Push Is Not Over
The failed cloture vote did not end congressional efforts around the legislation. Seven Democratic senators subsequently pledged to continue bipartisan CLARITY Act negotiations, indicating that supporters could return to the measure after addressing unresolved disagreements.
For Ripple, the broader regulatory consequences extend beyond the immediate Senate result. The company maintains that XRP’s existing legal and regulatory treatment is separate from the failure to enact a comprehensive statutory framework, an issue examined in the implications of the CLARITY Act’s failure for XRP and Ripple.
Alderoty’s latest remarks shift attention from the substance of the legislation toward how the crypto sector organizes its advocacy. His call for fewer competing messages comes as companies, trade groups, lawmakers, and regulators continue debating how federal securities and commodities rules should apply across digital asset markets.
The debate also affects Americans who use cryptocurrencies to store or transfer value, including the 40% of holders who shop and pay with crypto and the 41% who send it to friends and family, according to the NCA survey.
