$USDC GENIUS Act approved by the U.S. Senate**

The Senate passed the GENIUS Act on June 17-18, 2025, a regulatory framework for stablecoins that requires 1:1 backing with dollars or Treasury securities and monthly audits.

It is expected to strengthen the legitimacy of USDC and other stablecoins.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, and if approved, it could be signed by the end of summer (winter in Nicaragua).

2. Impact on Circle and Coinbase

Shares of Circle (issuer of USDC) rose between 16% and 34% following the passage of the law, reaching values between 173–190 USD per share.

Coinbase announced its "Coinbase Payments" system, which already allows payments with USDC through Shopify, and its stock rose ~16%.

3. Implications in markets