With Congress in recess until the new year, sources familiar with the progress of a digital asset market structure bill are expecting consideration in early 2026.
Members of the US Senate Banking Committee are expected to move forward with consideration of a digital asset market structure bill in the second week of January after months of delays.
According to reports and people familiar with the matter, the Banking Committee could hold a markup for the Responsible Financial Innovation Act during the second week of January. The event would mark progress on advancing legislation that has been slowed by Democratic lawmakers’ concerns over decentralized finance, and the longest US government shutdown in history.
Cody Carbone, CEO of digital asset advocacy organization The Digital Chamber, told Cointelegraph that “the second week of January will have at least one markup on pending market structure legislation in the Senate.” The US Senate Agriculture Committee is also considering its version of the market structure bill before any potential floor vote in the chamber.
The market structure bill, which passed the US House of Representatives in July as the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY), is expected to give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) more authority in regulating digital assets. Early drafts of the Senate bill signaled more collaboration between the CFTC and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over cryptocurrency regulation.
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It’s unclear whether the legislation will have enough support to pass in the Senate, should it be presented for a floor vote. Republican Senator Thom Tillis said in October that the start of campaigning for the 2026 midterm elections could likely hamper progress on crypto bills, including market structure.
Prominent advocate of market structure bill leaving Congress
In addition to political concerns, one of the Senate bill’s most outspoken proponents, Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, said on Dec. 19 that she would not seek reelection in 2026.
The lawmaker, who will have served one term in the Senate, said her energy didn’t “match up” with what was required to be able to serve for another six years. She continued to push for support for the bill following her announcement.
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