The Bitcoin price is trading near $77,453, up 0.77% in the last day. That almost matches the wider crypto market’s gain of 0.88%. Traders are watching both economic signals and U.S. crypto rules as the market tries to figure out where to go next. Bitcoin (BTC) still moves closely with the S&P 500, with an 82% correlation. That shows that bigger money conditions still matter a lot for crypto prices.
One of the biggest regulatory news came from Washington. On May 14, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act passed out of the Senate Banking Committee with a 15-9 vote. The bill would put crypto spot markets mainly under the CFTC’s watch and create formal legal labels for digital assets.
Even after clearing the committee, the bill still faces several roadblocks before becoming law. Those include merging with the Senate Agriculture Committee’s version and getting past the Senate’s 60-vote rule.
The proposed law also puts heavy duties on the CFTC at a time when the agency is already dealing with too few workers and a tight budget. That has raised concerns that the timeline could stretch much longer than expected.
If the CLARITY Act gets delayed until 2027, traders believe Bitcoin could enter a much more uncertain period where macro conditions matter more than regulatory optimism.
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What the CLARITY Act Could Mean for Bitcoin and Crypto
The CLARITY Act would create the first broad federal framework for digital assets in the United States. Bitcoin would officially become a “digital commodity.” That puts it under the CFTC instead of the SEC. Many crypto investors see that as good news. The CFTC has usually been less aggressive toward the industry.
The bill would also protect open-source developers and noncustodial software providers. They would not be treated as unlicensed money transmitters. That could help DeFi on Ethereum and Solana keep running without the same legal fog seen in past years. Developers would gain clearer rules for publishing software and building blockchain applications.
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Banks could also receive expanded authority to custody crypto assets under federal supervision. Crypto exchanges dealing with spot markets would need to register with the CFTC and follow anti-manipulation rules. Stablecoin issuers meeting federal standards may also gain access to Federal Reserve payment infrastructure for around-the-clock settlement services.
News Driving Bitcoin Price Today
One major development came from Tether after the company acquired SoftBank’s full stake in Twenty One Capital, a publicly traded Bitcoin treasury firm holding 43,514 BTC valued near $3.4 billion. The deal gave Tether complete control over one of the largest institutional Bitcoin holders in the market. Traders viewed the move as another sign that large firms continue treating Bitcoin as a long-term treasury asset.
Leverage data also moved higher. Margin long positions on Bitfinex climbed to 80,600 BTC, the highest level in roughly 2.5 years. Those positions represent more than $6.2 billion in bullish bets from large traders betting that the Bitcoin price can finally break above the $78,000 resistance area.
Another major driver came from continued buying by Strategy. The company acquired 171,238 BTC so far this year, exceeding total global mining production during the same period. Bloomberg noted that Strategy’s purchases have become one of the strongest pillars supporting Bitcoin demand in 2026, though some analysts worry the market could become overly dependent on one corporate buyer.
Bitcoin Price Prediction if the CLARITY Act Gets Delayed to 2027
Likely Case
If the CLARITY Act gets pushed to 2027, Bitcoin could stay trapped in a wide range between $70,000 and $85,000 for months. Money from ETFs and institutional buyers like Strategy and Tether may still prop up the market. But a delay in rules would likely slow new money from banks and big traditional investors. Traders may keep paying more attention to Fed policy, Treasury yields, and ETF flow data than to crypto news.
Bullish Case
Even with a delay, the Bitcoin price could still run toward $95,000 to $110,000. That would take a few things: ETF demand getting stronger again, and big buyers continuing to soak up supply. Tether keeps adding Bitcoin to its books. Bitfinex traders hold large long positions. More companies keep putting Bitcoin in their treasuries.
All that could keep demand higher than what miners produce. If the bigger economy improves and people start expecting rate cuts again, traders may look past the regulatory delay and focus on money flow and adoption instead.
Bearish Case
A delay into 2027 could push Bitcoin back toward $58,000 to $65,000 if investors start losing faith in U.S. rulemaking. Bitfinex long positions still carry heavy borrowed exposure, which creates wipeout risk. And if Strategy or ETFs slow down their buying, a big support for the market could disappear. If inflation stays high and the Fed keeps rates up for longer, risky assets like Bitcoin may have a hard time pulling in new money.
The CLARITY Act is one of the most important crypto bills moving through Washington. It could finally define how digital assets are regulated in the United States. Even with strong ETF demand and corporate buying, the Bitcoin price still leans heavily on big-money conditions and confidence in the rules. A push to 2027 would not kill the bull market on its own. But it could slow down adoption from banks, pension funds, and large traditional investors. For now, traders keep watching Washington and the Fed almost as closely as Bitcoin itself.
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