Bitcoin Rises to $78,582 Ahead of Clarity Act Vote

Bitcoin rose to $78,582, up 2.42% from the previous day, as markets braced for a Senate vote on the Clarity Act one day away, according to Coin360 data as of 7:50 a.m. KST on May 15. Ethereum (ETH) gained 2.3% to $2,534, while XRP surged 7.4% to $1.4381, marking the strongest performance among major cryptocurrencies. Solana (SOL) rose 2.92% and Binance Coin (BNB) increased 0.89%. Bitcoin dominance remained steady at 58.73%.

XRP's sharp rise followed news that President Trump had accepted approximately 80% of the ethical regulations demanded by Democrats on May 13. This development contributed to XRP's 3.9% gain over 24 hours, outperforming Bitcoin's 1.3% increase. The Clarity Act Senate draft explicitly lists XRP and Stellar (XLM) as representative examples of digital commodities, aiming to codify their status under law rather than relying on current SEC and CFTC interpretations. With President Trump now accepting a provision previously opposed by him regarding state attorneys general enforcement powers, some analysts suggest the bill is down to "one clause" from passage.

The key vote will take place at 2:15 p.m. local time today, with Senator Cynthia Lummis confirming the schedule. This procedural step determines whether the bill proceeds to full debate in committee rather than securing final passage. A supermajority of 60 votes is required, meaning Republicans need at least six Democratic defections.

Predictive markets show mixed reactions: Polymarket saw Clarity Act passage probability drop from 30% a week ago to 15.5%, then rebound to 19.5%. Kalshi reported a sharp spike from 26% on Thursday to 64% within one day. However, opposition remains strong, with 18 state attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, opposing the bill.