U.S. CBDC Ban Through 2031 Expected to Take Effect Even Without Trump's Signature

President Donald Trump says he will withhold his signature on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act until the Senate takes up the separate Save America Act. Even so, the housing package is still widely expected to become law—and it carries a prominent provision banning a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC) through 2031. Trump said on Truth Social that he is refusing to sign the housing bill because the Senate has not advanced the Save America Act, a Republican-backed measure that would require photo identification for federal voting. He has repeatedly urged lawmakers to pass the bill and has previously delayed signing the housing package for the same reason. Congress cleared the housing legislation and sent it to the White House last month. The White House says Trump does not plan to veto it. With Congress in session, the bill is expected to become law automatically once the constitutional review period lapses, rather than being blocked by a pocket veto. Crypto-focused observers are watching closely because the legislation would prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a U.S. CBDC through 2031. The restriction aligns with the administration's earlier position: Trump previously signed an executive order directing federal agencies not to take steps toward creating a U.S. CBDC. For the crypto sector, the measure would push out any near-term timeline for a central bank digital currency in the U.S. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren criticized Trump's move on X (formerly Twitter), arguing that it delays a major housing bill aimed at improving affordability, while noting the legislation will become law regardless of his signature. On Capitol Hill, crypto policy debates continue: Warren and other Democrats have called for hearings into the president's cryptocurrency holdings, and the Senate is considering the CLARITY Act, a separate proposal to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets. The housing bill—including the temporary federal ban on a U.S. CBDC—appears set to take effect without Trump's signature, even as the standoff over the Save America Act and broader digital-asset legislation continues.