Overview
- Rep. Keith Self submitted the "Anti-CBDC Surveillance State" amendment to the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act on Tuesday.
- The measure would prohibit the Fed from testing, developing, or implementing a U.S. central bank digital currency or any substantially similar digital asset.
- It would also block Federal Reserve banks from providing financial products directly to individuals or maintaining customer accounts.
- The text includes an exception for dollar‑denominated currency that is open, permissionless, and private, signaling support for non‑central‑bank digital options.
- Conservatives say leaders dropped a promised CBDC ban from the bill, and a House aide said efforts collapsed during negotiations over a bipartisan housing package, driving the push for a statutory fix despite the president’s earlier executive order.