Meta description: US lawmakers have reached a deal on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a housing affordability bill that includes a temporary ban on the Federal Reserve issuing a CBDC until 2030.
US lawmakers are moving closer to a temporary ban on a central bank digital currency, or CBDC, after House and Senate leaders reached a deal on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
The bipartisan housing bill is mainly focused on improving housing affordability across the United States. However, it also includes a major crypto policy provision that would stop the Federal Reserve from creating or issuing a US central bank digital currency until the end of 2030.
Housing Bill Moves Forward With Crypto Provision
House and Senate leaders released an updated version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on Tuesday. The bill is designed to address rising housing costs, support new home construction, and limit the role of large institutional investors in the single-family housing market.
One of the most closely watched provisions would ban institutional investors from buying existing single-family homes to rent out. Supporters argue that this could help reduce pressure on homebuyers and improve access to affordable housing.
The bill also includes language that would prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing or creating a CBDC, either directly or indirectly. The restriction would apply to any digital asset that is substantially similar to a central bank digital currency.
CBDC Ban Would Last Until 2030
The CBDC provision is temporary. Under the current language, the restriction would expire on Dec. 31, 2030.
The bill also includes a carveout for certain crypto stablecoins. It refers to dollar-denominated digital currency that is open, permissionless, and private, separating these assets from a government-issued digital dollar.
This distinction is important for the crypto industry. Many crypto advocates oppose CBDCs because they believe a government-controlled digital currency could threaten financial privacy and give authorities too much control over digital payments.
Stablecoins, by contrast, are often viewed as a private-sector alternative to a central bank digital currency.
A Win for Anti-CBDC Republicans
The CBDC ban would mark a major political win for Republican lawmakers who have tried for years to block the creation of a digital dollar in the United States.
The language in the housing bill revives much of the approach found in Representative Tom Emmer’s Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. That bill was introduced in 2025 and passed the House, but it did not advance in the Senate as a standalone measure.
By attaching similar language to a broader housing package, lawmakers may now have a clearer path to passing a temporary CBDC ban through Congress.
Trump’s Executive Order Added Pressure
The legislative push follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025. The order directed federal agencies to stop work related to CBDCs, citing concerns about financial stability, individual privacy, and US sovereignty.
The housing bill would take that policy further by placing a temporary legal restriction on the Federal Reserve itself.
If passed, the Fed would be unable to issue or create a CBDC until 2030 unless Congress changes the law.
What Happens Next?
The updated housing bill is expected to move quickly. House Republican leaders are planning to bring the bill to a vote after the chamber returns from recess on June 23.
If the bill passes, it could clear space for Congress to focus on other major legislation before the August recess and the November midterm elections.
One key priority is the CLARITY Act, a long-awaited crypto market structure bill that aims to create clearer rules for digital assets in the United States.
For the crypto industry, the housing bill is important for more than housing policy. It could become one of the most significant federal steps yet against a US central bank digital currency.
Why It Matters for Crypto
A CBDC ban until 2030 would give crypto companies, stablecoin issuers, and digital asset investors more certainty about the future of digital money in the United States.
While the bill does not permanently block a digital dollar, it would delay any Federal Reserve CBDC project for several years. It would also strengthen the position of private stablecoins at a time when lawmakers are debating how digital assets should be regulated.
For now, the deal shows that CBDC policy remains a major issue in Washington.
As Congress moves closer to passing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the debate over privacy, stablecoins, and the future of the digital dollar is likely to intensify.
