U.S. Housing Bill Includes Federal CBDC Ban Until 2030

Congressional negotiators have woven a prohibition on Federal Reserve central bank digital currencies into a major bipartisan housing reform package, effectively halting any possibility of a Fed-issued retail digital dollar for the remainder of the decade.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which now awaits a Senate floor vote, includes language that explicitly prevents the Federal Reserve from launching or testing a consumer-facing CBDC through December 31, 2030. The move represents a significant legislative victory for crypto advocates and libertarian-leaning lawmakers who have long warned that a government-controlled digital currency could threaten financial privacy and enable unprecedented surveillance of citizen spending.

While central bank digital currencies have gained traction globally—with China’s digital yuan already in widespread pilot programs and the European Central Bank advancing its digital euro project—the United States has taken a more cautious approach. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has repeatedly stated that any CBDC would require explicit Congressional authorization, a position that gave legislators an opening to preemptively block such initiatives.

The crypto industry has generally opposed Fed-backed digital currencies, arguing they would compete directly with stablecoins and decentralized cryptocurrencies while centralizing monetary control. By contrast, some economists and financial inclusion advocates have suggested a CBDC could provide banking services to unbanked populations and improve payment system efficiency.

The inclusion of CBDC language in a housing bill—rather than standalone financial legislation—reflects the complex political maneuvering required to advance contentious policy positions. Attaching the ban to a bipartisan housing package likely improved its chances of survival through the legislative process.

With this statutory barrier now in place through 2030, the U.S. will remain on the sidelines of the global CBDC race for at least the next five years, leaving the private sector to continue developing dollar-backed stablecoins and other digital payment solutions without direct government competition.

Based on reporting by the original source.