If the saying “good things come to those who wait” is true, then the 52 million Americans who own, build, or invest in digital assets are overdue for some very good things. 

After months of negotiations on Capitol Hill, we’re on the verge of the Senate scheduling a vote for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which would finally provide the regulatory framework and clear “rules of the road” that the American crypto community has been operating without for years. 

But we are not there yet, and if Congress takes its eye off the ball — or if the entrenched financial interests trying to hold up the process are successful — the best chance to deliver the legal certainty that the digital asset ecosystem desperately needs could pass us by. 

There’s a limited window to get this done, with few remaining days left in the current Congress before the midterm elections. If Senate leaders don’t schedule a CLARITY Act vote in the coming weeks, an enormous amount of bipartisan work, compromise, and progress, could be wasted.

The CLARITY Act will put an end to crypto users, developers, and companies existing in gray areas — a challenge that continues every day this legislation is delayed, and that ultimately slows innovation, restricts economic opportunity, and exposes users to unnecessary risk.

Too often, crypto detractors — like banking lobbyists who have tried to obstruct this legislation at every step along the way — spin false narratives around who actually benefits from pro-crypto policies, pitting regular Americans against the institutions they claim would be the real beneficiaries. This couldn’t be further from the truth. 

The CLARITY Act would empower a rapidly-growing number of everyday crypto users to participate in the digital economy on their own terms, with confidence that their assets are protected under a fair, transparent legal framework. More crypto users will be able to take advantage of seamless transactions, more small businesses will be able to save on transaction fees, and more families will be able to build wealth through digital assets without fear of regulatory whiplash. 

For developers and new, innovative fintech companies, legal certainty means being able to build with confidence on American soil, keeping cutting-edge financial infrastructure at home.

The most recent tactic to continue kicking the can down the road, and eventually kill the bill altogether, has been for CLARITY opponents to assert that the Senate doesn’t need to prioritize a vote because digital assets are not a priority for voters. 

This is categorically false.

According to Stand With Crypto’s survey of crypto owners in Senate battleground states, nearly three-quarters of crypto owners are more likely to support a candidate who backs clearer regulations for cryptocurrency, with roughly the same share  reporting that they are paying close attention to crypto policy and regulation in Washington, D.C.

And while digital assets are an important tool for investing and generating wealth, our research shows that crypto has become deeply intertwined with all aspects of Americans’ daily economic lives. More than a third of crypto owners use it for standard personal transactions — like sending a friend or family member money — while 21 percent use it for monthly expenses, including housing and utilities, and 20 percent use crypto to purchase daily household goods like groceries. 

Not only is crypto a kitchen table issue for millions of digital asset owners but, as we approach November, crypto owners are also an engaged, and up for grabs, group of voters.

Nearly 80 percent of crypto owners describe themselves as “almost certain” to vote in the midterms. And these aren’t voters already locked into one party. Neither party has established majority trust on crypto policy among crypto owners; 59 percent of crypto owners don’t consistently vote for one political party and nearly half of crypto owners say they could support a candidate who they agree with on issues related to crypto, even if they disagree with them on other issues.

What does this all mean? Digital assets are a priority for voters, and they should be a priority for Members of Congress too as they seek reelection in the fall.  

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have collaborated in good faith to bring the CLARITY Act this far. Their progress and effort means they understand the urgency this issue demands. 

But now, it’s time to bring the bill to the Senate floor for a vote.

We have a choice. The new digital economy is here to stay. We can either take the initiative to shape it in a way that spreads the benefits broadly and promotes fairness and competition, or we can bury our heads in the sand and miss our best opportunity to create a more innovative, inclusive economy. 

Either way, you can be sure that crypto owners are paying attention. 

Mason Lynaugh is the Executive Director of Stand With Crypto.