CLARITY Act: Senate Banking Committee Sets Crucial Mark-Up Date – What You Need to Know

The Senate Banking Committee just locked in a date to mark up the CLARITY Act—and it could reshape crypto's regulatory landscape overnight.

Why This Matters Now

Lawmakers are finally moving from talk to action. The mark-up means proposed text gets debated, amended, and pushed toward a committee vote. For an industry tangled in regulatory gray areas, this is the first real step toward legislative certainty—or a new set of constraints.

The Clock Is Ticking

Committees don't set mark-up dates for fun. It signals urgency, political momentum, and a narrowing window for industry lobbyists to sway the language. Expect last-minute amendments, heated debates over definitions (what's a security, anyway?), and a scramble behind the scenes. Wall Street's old guard is watching, probably hoping for rules so cumbersome that only they can afford to comply—a classic regulatory moat disguised as consumer protection.

What Comes Next

If it passes the committee, the bill heads to the full Senate. That's a bigger hurdle, but committee approval gives it legitimacy. The House has its own versions floating around. The endgame? A potential law that either gives crypto a clear runway or grounds it with red tape.

Bottom line: Policy moves slowly until it doesn't. This mark-up is the spark. Whether it lights a fire under innovation or burns the whole thing down depends on what gets written into law—and who's holding the pen.

Time To Move Crypto Legislation Forward – Sen. Banking Committee Chair 

The CLARITY Act was introduced in May 2025 and passed by the House of Representatives in July. It is a landmark US crypto market-structure bill designed to define regulatory responsibilities between the SEC and CFTC, clarify asset classifications, and establish compliance pathways for digital asset markets. The bill has since been moved to the US Senate for consideration, commencing with a revision by the relevant Senate Committee. In an X post on January 10, Fox Reporter Eleanor Terrett stated the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, led by Republican Chairman Tim Scott, has set the markup session for the CLARITY Act at 10 am EST on Thursday, 15 January, 2026.  For context, the markup represents a key legislative process whereby the lawmakers in relevant committees review, debate, amend, and rewrite a proposed bill before it is presented to the full chamber. Commenting on this development, Chairman Tim Scott explained the potential importance of the CLARITY Act, emphasizing its role in transforming the US into the crypto capital of the world. The Republican said:

This legislation is about making America the crypto capital of the world – so the next generation of jobs and innovation is built here, not overseas. When we set clear rules, we give entrepreneurs the confidence to start companies, hire workers, and grow right here in the United States. We also make it harder for criminals and foreign adversaries to use new technology to rip off Americans or undermine our financial system. After months of serious, bipartisan work, it’s time to MOVE this forward and deliver real results for the American people.

Notably, the Banking Committee’s announcement has received many positive reactions from crypto enthusiasts. This is because the CLARITY Act is expected to bring regulatory clarity and also introduce the needed guardrails that WOULD encourage more mainstream digital asset adoption among individuals and institutions alike.

CLARITY Act To Pass Into Law By March

In other developments, Eleanor Terrett predicts the CLARITY Act could be ratified in the next two months on a conservative basis. The Fox reporter explains the bill will likely be advanced next week, following the slated markup to be merged with the portion of the Agricultural Committee before being read to the Senate floor for voting. Upon approval, it is sent back to the House of Representatives and finally to President Donald Trump’s desk for ascent. Considering these processes and their respective length, Terrett expects the CLARITY Act to gain full approval by March at the earliest.