Top 7 Cryptocurrencies to Gain from the U.S. CLARITY Act

The Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act, passed alongside the GENIUS Stablecoin Act, is reshaping U.S. crypto regulation. By defining mature, decentralized blockchains as digital commodities under CFTC oversight, it provides long-awaited regulatory certainty for some of the largest crypto networks and DeFi ecosystems. This clarity reduces SEC overreach, opens exempt fundraising pathways, and unlocks DeFi-friendly rules for validators, developers, and relayers.

So, which tokens are the biggest winners under this new framework? Let’s rank the top seven blockchains and ecosystems set to benefit most.

What is the CLARITY Act?

Under the CLARITY Act, a blockchain is considered “mature” if it has been running for years, is widely adopted, and is not controlled by any single person or company. The key idea is that no one entity should hold more than 20% of the network’s power, governance, or influence. Bitcoin and Ethereum are the clearest examples of this because they have thousands of independent participants and no central authority making unilateral decisions. 

When a blockchain meets these conditions, it is officially classified as a digital commodity, similar to gold or oil, and it falls under the oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This matters because the CFTC has a lighter and more flexible regulatory approach compared to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which treats assets like stocks or securities under stricter investor protection rules.

Decentralized Finance 

The Act also brings clarity to decentralized finance, or DeFi, which has long existed in a gray area. Before, it wasn’t clear if the people running validator nodes or writing DeFi protocol code could be treated like financial intermediaries, similar to banks or brokers. Under the CLARITY Act, DeFi protocols built on qualified mature blockchains are granted relief from that risk. 

Validators who help keep the network secure are not considered regulated middlemen, and developers who created the software won’t be held liable as if they were running a financial institution. This protection allows DeFi ecosystems to continue innovating without fear of being shut down by rules meant for centralized players.

Stablecoins

Stablecoins also benefit from this new structure through the GENIUS Act, which works together with the CLARITY framework. The GENIUS Act defines what makes a stablecoin legal in the U.S., requiring full reserves, regular audits, and registration with regulators. However, stablecoins are only freely permitted on networks that qualify as mature blockchains under the CLARITY Act. 

For example, Ethereum is considered a mature blockchain, so stablecoins like USDC or DAI running on Ethereum gain clear legal recognition for payments and DeFi use. If a blockchain doesn’t meet the maturity test, stablecoins on that network would face extra restrictions.

Taken together, these laws finally bring order to the confusion that surrounded crypto in the U.S. Mature blockchains are now clearly digital commodities under CFTC oversight, DeFi protocols on those chains get legal breathing room, and stablecoins gain legitimacy as payment tools when issued responsibly. 

This combination removes regulatory uncertainty and opens the door for broader mainstream adoption, institutional participation, and safer innovation in the crypto ecosystem.

Which cryptocurrencies benefit from CLARITY?

1. Bitcoin (BTC)

   Bitcoin is the clearest example of a fully decentralized network. It runs on a Proof-of-Work system where thousands of independent miners secure the blockchain, and no central governance or single authority can control or change the protocol on its own. 
   
   With over fifteen years of uninterrupted existence, Bitcoin has proven itself as the most resilient and widely trusted cryptocurrency, earning its place as the “gold standard” of digital commodities. Under the CLARITY Act, this maturity and decentralization mean it falls squarely under CFTC oversight, removing any lingering uncertainty about SEC enforcement. As a result, institutional investors are expected to increase their exposure to Bitcoin, now that it carries a clear and favorable regulatory status in the U.S. 

2. Ethereum

   Ethereum uses a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism with over one million validators, making it highly decentralized and resistant to control by any single entity. It has become the primary backbone for smart contracts, powering most decentralized finance applications, stablecoins, and NFT marketplaces. With the CLARITY Act giving it a precise classification as a digital commodity, Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem and staking economy significantly boost legitimacy. 

3. Cardano (ADA) 

   Cardano is supported by a network of roughly 3,000 stake pools, which helps ensure that control is widely distributed among many participants. 
   It is in the process of completing its Voltaire era, which will hand over full on-chain governance to the community through a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). 
   Beyond its governance model, Cardano offers smart contract functionality and identity solutions, giving it clear economic utility and real-world use cases. Once the Voltaire governance upgrade is fully rolled out, Cardano is expected to meet the CLARITY Act’s maturity and decentralization standards, allowing it to be classified as a digital commodity under CFTC oversight.
    

4. Polkadot (DOT)

   Polkadot (DOT) stands out because of its unique on-chain governance model, known as OpenGov, which allows token holders to vote on upgrades and changes through validator elections. 
   This design distributes control across the community rather than concentrating it in a single foundation or team, making the network more decentralized. 
   It also supports a multichain ecosystem of parachains, which are specialized blockchains connected to Polkadot’s relay chain, enabling use cases in DeFi, gaming, and DAOs. Under the CLARITY Act, DOT itself would be treated as a digital commodity because of its mature governance and decentralized nature. However, each parachain built on Polkadot would need to be assessed individually to determine if it also meets the Act's maturity and decentralization criteria.

5. Tezos (XTZ)

   Tezos stands out because of its unique self-amending governance system, which allows the blockchain to upgrade itself without needing disruptive hard forks. This built-in governance model ensures that changes are decided by the community of token holders, reinforcing decentralization and long-term stability. 
   Over the years, Tezos has also gained significant enterprise adoption, with notable examples such as Ubisoft using it for NFTs and Société Générale exploring its use for digital finance. 
   These real-world applications showcase its maturity and utility beyond speculation. Because of its decentralized governance, broad validator base, and proven operational history, Tezos meets the CLARITY Act’s benchmarks for a mature blockchain, positioning it as a clear digital commodity under CFTC oversight.

6. Avalanche (AVAX)

   Avalanche is in a unique position under the CLARITY Act. Its open and decentralized public subnets are likely to qualify as mature networks and, therefore, fall under lighter CFTC oversight. 
   However, its private or permissioned subnets, where control is concentrated and participation is restricted, could still face closer scrutiny from the SEC. 
   Despite these nuances, Avalanche continues to see rapid growth in DeFi applications and tokenized finance use cases, making it an important player in the evolving regulatory landscape.

7. Solana (SOL)

   Solana is a high-performance blockchain that powers fast and scalable DeFi applications and NFT marketplaces. Its speed and efficiency have made it popular among developers and users, but the network has faced criticism for its validator requirements. Running a Solana validator is expensive and resource-intensive, which limits participation and leads to some degree of centralization compared to more widely distributed networks like Ethereum or Cardano.
   
   Under the CLARITY Act, Solana would likely still qualify as a digital commodity because it is an open network without a single controlling entity. However, it continues to face debates about how decentralized it truly is, and this perception could invite closer scrutiny from regulators compared to more clearly mature and decentralized blockchains.

8. Uniswap (UNI)

   Uniswap operates through a DAO on the Ethereum blockchain. Since it operates on a well-established and extensively decentralized network, the protocol is eligible for DeFi exemptions as specified in the CLARITY Act. This means its validators, relayers, and developers are not treated as traditional financial intermediaries, giving the platform more freedom to innovate. 
   
   However, Uniswap is still under mild regulatory scrutiny due to concerns about whale dominance in governance votes and how its tokens were initially distributed, which could raise questions about fairness and decentralization.

Decentralization Ranking for CLARITY Act

Stablecoins and the CLARITY Act

USDC, issued by Circle and supported by Coinbase, is fully backed by reserves and regularly audited, which makes it a Permitted Payment Stablecoin under the GENIUS Act. This clear legal status allows it to be widely used in the U.S. for payments, trading, and DeFi applications.
USDC also runs on well-established networks such as Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche, which allows it to benefit from the regulatory clarity offered by the CLARITY and GENIUS Acts. This makes USDC an attractive stablecoin for both institutional and retail users.
 

DAI, created by MakerDAO, takes a different approach. It is a decentralized stablecoin that is overcollateralized with crypto assets and governed entirely by a DAO. This structure allows it to qualify as a decentralized DAO stablecoin, meaning it doesn’t need the same banking-style oversight as a centralized issuer. DAI benefits from the CLARITY Act’s DeFi exemptions, which protect its validators and developers. It also benefits from a “safe harbor” under the GENIUS Act, which means it can keep running as an authentic decentralized option in the U.S. market.

How the GENIUS Act complements CLARITY

The GENIUS Act works with the CLARITY Act to create clear rules for cryptocurrency. The CLARITY Act defines which blockchains are considered mature and decentralized, like Ethereum, Bitcoin, Cardano, and Polkadot. The GENIUS Act sets rules for stablecoins, deciding which can be legally issued and used. For example, USDC and DAI meet these rules, while USDT can only be used if it follows strict reserve and transparency standards.

These laws make it easier for DeFi payments and stablecoins to work on approved networks. CLARITY ensures that blockchains are recognized as digital commodities, while GENIUS ensures that stablecoins are safe, fully backed, and legal. 

The regulation is split: the CFTC oversees decentralized networks, and the Treasury and Federal Reserve oversee stablecoin issuers and payments. This helps reduce confusion and supports the growth of stablecoins and DeFi on trusted networks.

The biggest winners?

Bitcoin and Ethereum remain the safest bets under the new regulatory framework, which will likely trigger a surge in institutional demand. Cardano, Polkadot, and Tezos also gain stronger legitimacy as the law clarifies their paths toward fully decentralized governance and more secure DeFi ecosystems. 

At the same time, stablecoins like USDC and DAI become recognized as compliant digital money for DeFi and payments, fueling broader ecosystem growth. With the SEC’s ambiguity finally removed, these top tokens are now better positioned for potential price gains, deeper integration into the U.S. market, and faster adoption by both retail users and major institutions.

The CLARITY Act rewards protocols that truly hand off governance to their communities. Those with transparent DAO structures and diffuse validator sets will gain lighter regulation, exempt fundraising, and DeFi protections, while semi-centralized projects may need extra certification or SEC oversight.

Ready to secure the future of your crypto?

With the U.S. CLARITY Act and GENIUS Stablecoin Act paving the way for safer adoption, now is the perfect time to own and manage the tokens set to benefit most from Bitcoin and Ethereum, to Cardano, Polkadot, Tezos, and stablecoins like USDC and DAI.

Tangem Wallet makes it effortless. Buy, send, receive, and manage these regulatory winners securely in the best crypto wallet that fits right in your pocket. 

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FAQs

What is the CLARITY Act?

The CLARITY Act (Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025) is a U.S. federal bill that defines "mature" blockchains—those decentralized, widely-used networks without single-entity control—and classifies qualifying tokens as digital commodities under CFTC oversight, not the SEC. It also protects DeFi validators and developers from being labelled intermediaries, enabling smoother innovation.

Did the Clarity bill pass?

The CLARITY Act passed the House on July 17, 2025, with a 294–134 vote and is currently awaiting Senate action. It has not yet become law.

What is the difference between the CLARITY Act and the GENIUS Act?

The CLARITY Act defines laws for blockchains and their native tokens, classifying them as digital commodities under the CFTC. The GENIUS Act addresses stablecoins, establishing rules around reserves, auditing, licensing, and consumer protection. Together, they create a cohesive regulatory framework covering both base chains and money-like assets.

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