U.S. Crypto Regulation Reaches a Turning Point as Senate Pushes Landmark Bill

Washington is heading into a defining week for crypto policy as US lawmakers move closer to setting firm rules for the digital asset industry. After years of uncertainty, enforcement-heavy oversight, and stalled negotiations, Congress is finally positioning itself to vote on legislation that could reshape how crypto is regulated in the United States.

Two influential Senate panels, the Banking Committee and the Agriculture Committee, have scheduled key hearings on January 15 to debate and vote on their versions of a comprehensive crypto market structure bill. These markups are more than procedural steps; they will determine whether the legislation advances or stalls yet again.

The timing is significant. Lawmakers have missed multiple self-imposed deadlines over the past year, but growing pressure from industry, global competition, and regulatory confusion appears to have forced action. If both committees approve their drafts, it WOULD mark the most meaningful progress toward federal crypto rules to date.

At the heart of the bill is the long-running battle over jurisdiction. For years, crypto companies have operated in a gray area, unsure whether they fall under the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The proposed framework aims to end that ambiguity.