# House passes bill supporting cryptocurrency-scam investigations and blockchain tracing

> The House passed H.R. 2978, the GUARD Act of 2026.

- URL: https://riadefi.com/regulation/2026-09-15-guard-act-elder-crypto-fraud/
- Posture: Proposal · not in effect
- Authorities: U.S. Congress
- Event date: 2026-09-15
- Version: 1, published 2026-09-17 (first published 2026-09-17)
- Advisor-relevant: no

This entry records a proposal. It does not change the law unless it is adopted.

## What changed

The House passed H.R. 2978, the GUARD Act of 2026. The bill would authorize specified federal grant funds for investigations of elder financial fraud and pig-butchering schemes, including training and tools for blockchain tracing; facilitate coordination between financial institutions and law enforcement; and require FinCEN reporting on digital assets’ role in reported scams. The measure remains proposed legislation and does not yet impose new requirements on advisers.

## Who it affects

- Advisers assisting clients affected by cryptocurrency investment scams or elder financial exploitation
- Financial institutions coordinating fraud information with law enforcement
- State, local, and Tribal law-enforcement grant recipients

## What is still open

- Whether the Senate will pass the bill and whether it will be enacted
- How participating agencies would implement grant-supported blockchain tracing and financial-sector coordination
- Whether future FinCEN reports would lead to additional reporting or fraud-control expectations

## What it means for an advisor

- Monitor the bill’s progress rather than treating the House vote as a change in current law
- Review escalation procedures for suspected cryptocurrency scams involving elderly or vulnerable clients, including preservation of wallet and transaction information
- Maintain current fraud, privacy, and suspicious-activity procedures while awaiting any enacted requirements or implementing guidance

## Sources

1. [H.R. 2978 (EH) — Guarding Unprotected Aging Retirees from Deception Act of 2026](https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-119hr2978eh) · U.S. Congress · 2026-09-15


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Published by Ketju Research on RIADeFi (https://riadefi.com). Educational research for financial professionals; not investment, legal, tax, or compliance advice.