Crypto Market Structure Bill Update: Blockchain Association CEO Reveals Game-Changing Developments
Regulatory gears grind—and crypto might just slip through.
The long-awaited crypto market structure bill is picking up steam, with key players finally moving pieces on the legislative chessboard. According to the Blockchain Association's CEO, recent developments signal a potential breakthrough that could redefine the playing field for digital assets.
The Core Shift
Forget vague promises. The update points toward concrete definitions—what's a security, what's a commodity, and who gets to regulate it. This isn't just paperwork; it's about carving out legal clarity where regulatory fog has stifled innovation and spooked institutional capital for years.
Why It Matters Now
Momentum is building off-cycle. With traditional finance still trying to mint digital collectibles of its own quarterly reports, crypto's push for a tailored framework cuts through the bureaucratic noise. It bypasses the old guard's playbook, aiming to establish rules that actually fit the technology instead of forcing a square peg into a round, legacy-shaped hole.
The Bottom Line
This isn't a done deal—political winds shift faster than memecoin trends. But a clear market structure bill would provide the legitimacy major investors crave, potentially unlocking the next wave of institutional adoption. Of course, watching regulators try to box in a decentralized ecosystem is like watching a bureaucrat try to herd cats—a spectacle of futility, occasionally punctuated by a surprising scratch.
The takeaway? The infrastructure for crypto's mainstream future is being drafted now. Whether it gets built depends on who wins the tug-of-war between innovation and the entrenched financial system's desire to protect its turf—and its fees.
Key Points For Crypto Market Structure Bill
Mersinger described the upcoming markup as a pivotal moment for digital asset legislation, emphasizing the significance of the moment for US leadership in the crypto space.
While she expressed gratitude to Senate leadership for their efforts, she underscored the necessity of addressing several “non-negotiable issues” to ensure that the bill remains durable, workable, and supportive of innovation.
One of the primary concerns Mersinger raised was the need for developer protections. She argued that the builders of peer-to-peer (P2P), open-source technologies should not be classified as financial intermediaries, making it essential for the inclusion of the BRCA (Blockchain Regulatory Compliance Act) in the market structure bill.
Additionally, Mersinger highlighted the need to amend “outdated laws,” which she alleges poses risks of meritless criminal prosecutions for developers simply writing code for non-custodial technologies.
Another critical point made by Mersinger is the preservation of decentralized finance (DeFi). She emphasized that DeFi must not be legislated out of existence, stating that open and decentralized innovation is vital for US competitiveness in the global market.
She stressed that more than 110 organizations and companies have voiced similar sentiments, as illustrated by an August 2025 letter sent to the Senate advocating for developer protections.
Bipartisan Compromise On Stablecoins At Risk
Stablecoin policy also emerged as a significant topic in Mersinger’s remarks. She urged Congress to safeguard a bipartisan compromise established in the GENIUS Act, warning against measures that WOULD impose yield bans, which could constrain lawful rewards and favor large banking institutions over new entrants to the market.
Mersinger stressed that market structure reforms should facilitate competition between emerging players and legacy institutions, rather than entrench existing advantages.
Mersinger’s statement comes on the heels of insights shared by crypto journalist Eleanor Terret who recently disclosed that the Senate Banking Committee plans to pass the bill next week, after which it will be merged with the Senate Agriculture Committee’s portion before heading to the Senate floor for a full vote.
Should this process proceed smoothly, the bill could reach President Trump’s desk for signing, with Terret estimating that this could happen as early as March. However, she cautioned that if the House decides to make amendments to the Senate’s version, the timeline could extend into the summer.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
