US Housing Bill Silently Enacts Four-Year Ban on Digital Dollar

A four-year ban on a US Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) has been enacted as part of a housing bill, blocking the Federal Reserve from issuing a digital dollar until at least the end of 2030.

The provision was slipped into the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bill focused on cutting regulations and addressing affordability in the US housing market. The ban expires at the end of 2029, but its impact is significant, as it sets a formal statutory barrier to a US CBDC and adds to the growing opposition from crypto advocates and privacy groups.

The Federal Reserve had previously stated that issuing a CBDC would require both White House support and an act of Congress before moving forward. The ban changes little in the immediate term for the central bank, but it sets a precedent and may affect future decisions on a US CBDC.