Crypto legislation is hitting another snag this week — this time from the top Republican and top Democrat of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
A bill to regulate the cryptocurrency industry could be finalized within the next few weeks, according to Michael Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy.
Despite the postponement of a hearing that could have advanced crypto legislation, lawmakers insist the effort is far from dead.
In a letter on Thursday, lawmakers accused the SEC of enabling a "pay-to-play" dynamic after dropping cases against Binance, Coinbase, Kraken and Justin Sun.
The recent Bitcoin rally may be driven by real spot demand on Coinbase. Data indicating elevated spot activity on Coinbase suggests that this move higher is bolstered by direct purchases rather than leveraged positioning in derivatives markets. This distinction matters because Spot buying reflects a real capital commitment, not a temporary bet. Why Risk Management When Demand Is Structural The Bitcoin rally since Sunday’s Powell subpoena news has been largely linked to Coinbase spot buyers. Crypto trader Alex Krüger has highlighted on X that both the Adjusted Coinbase Premium and Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) show steady spot accumulation, which is exactly why this has been a true hated rally even among bitcoiners. For over a month, the dominant narrative in every crypto chat room has been that BTC is lagging while equities and commodities are moving upward. Related Reading: Analyst Outlines The Bulllish And Bearish Scenarios For Bitcoin – Here’s What To Know However, the fun fact is that equities are not accurate, but 40% of the S&P 500 (Standard & Poor’s 500) stocks have actually closed red in 2025, (39.2% to be precise). Perception is doing a lot of work here, and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) move on Powell represented a major macro litmus test for BTC. Kruger claims that the BTC long-term value proposition is about protecting against the tail risk of central bank profligacy. On Monday, BTC surged upward, although the move was just a little surge. According to Krüger, the BTC key battlefield remains the 50-week moving average (WMA), which is currently around $101,420. Meanwhile, the trader is looking to take some profits into short liquidations right above the $100,000 mark. Why Bitcoin Benefits First From Institutional Flows The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is set for markup today, January 15th, 2026, in the Senate Banking Committee. According to the update by BTC_road_to200k on X (Formally Twitter), this is where the lawmakers will debate and shape the final version of the bill before it moves forward. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Stays Pinned Above Support, Setting Up a Bigger Move This matters because the art aims to clear up the ongoing regulatory uncertainty between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which has been a major source of hesitation for large institutional players looking to move into Bitcoin and other digital assets. Furthermore, the Clarity Act will be a turning point as it aims to clear rules that will bring more confidence to banks, pension funds, and large investors, which often translates into higher demand and stronger price momentum for BTC. As the regulatory clouds lift, the market might start experiencing a renewed wave of institutional money flowing in, and that’s obviously bullish for BTC. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
A combination of timing pressures and unresolved policy concerns led Coinbase to withdraw its support for a sweeping cryptocurrency bill.
The Senate Banking Committee has pulled its hearing to amend and vote on sweeping crypto legislation following a tumultuous few days.
Coinbase won't be supporting the Senate Banking Committee's sweeping cryptocurrency legislation, its CEO said.
Lawmakers face a pivotal Senate hearing with over 70 amendments in play, as debates over stablecoin yield and DeFi come down to the wire.
The SEC has closed a years-long probe into the Zcash Foundation, the nonprofit said in a blog post Wednesday.
Another exchange-traded fund tied to Chainlink is set to hit the market Wednesday morning — the Bitwise Chainlink ETF.
Lawmakers and the crypto industry are sifting through pages and pages of bill text, with much of the focus being on stablecoin rewards.
US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins is confident that a long-awaited crypto market structure bill could find its way into US President Donald Trump’s office for signature before the end of the year. The SEC chief highlighted ongoing efforts during an interview with Fox Business to clarify rules around digital asset trading and said the bill could provide much-needed guidance to investors and trading platforms. Related Reading: Crypto Products Post $454M Weekly Outflows On Fed Jitters Atkins Expresses Confidence Atkins, who was confirmed by the Senate in April 2025 in a 52-44 vote, said tokenization and faster settlement systems are part of the next phase for US markets. He argued that a market structure law would give firms and investors clearer signals about which rules apply to trading in digital assets. Reports have disclosed that the chair sees the bill as fitting the administration’s push to make the US more competitive in crypto. This is a big week for crypto – Congress is on the cusp of upgrading our financial markets for the 21st century. I am wholly supportive of Congress providing clarity on the jurisdictional split between the SEC and the @CFTC. pic.twitter.com/NtDWRW85kL — Paul Atkins (@SECPaulSAtkins) January 12, 2026 Atkins discussed the regulatory forecast for crypto this year during an interview with Fox Business. Source: Paul Atkins Lawmakers’ Calendar And Odds Based on reports from financial analysts, the path to passage is not guaranteed. One market note put the chance of the bill clearing Congress in 2026 at roughly 50-60%, and warned that delays could push final action into 2027. Other analysts have suggested a longer road, saying implementation of final market structure rules might not be settled for years if political dynamics change. What Is Being Negotiated The draft measures under discussion aim to define which federal agency supervises different types of digital instruments, establish standards for trading venues that list tokens, and create clearer reporting rules for market participants. Reports have disclosed that committee markups are expected before any Senate floor vote, and those sessions will shape the bill’s final text. Industry Reaction, Market Talk The optimism expressed by Atkins has been welcomed by industry associations, as they see that clear guidance could lead to more institutional capital flowing into the onshore crypto trading space. On the other hand, the sentiment from many companies is that there is still a level of caution surrounding future regulations. Although regulators continue to show a level of agreement regarding overall regulation, the details of custody, custody provider(s), and oversight split between various regulatory agencies must be agreed upon by Congress before any definitive progress can be made. This back-and-forth between Congress and regulatory agencies has caused the markets to react in a pattern of quick positive movements followed by corresponding negative movements due to legislative inaction. Related Reading: CZ Fuels Optimism As Binance Coin’s $1,000 Target Trends Political Timing Could Matter The midterm and committee calendars are being watched closely. If the Senate delays key votes, support that exists now could wane or be reshaped by other priorities. Some commentators argue that fast action would lock in regulatory clarity; others say a rushed law could leave gaps that require later fixes. The debate over speed versus detail is active in Washington. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView
Bernstein said the window to pass the bill is rapidly narrowing amid a dispute between banks and the crypto industry over stablecoin rewards.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Senators are sifting through key issues that are proving to be vital in advancing a sweeping crypto bill ahead of next week's votes.
In the week of Crypto regulation news, the SEC is taking a more hands-on and noticeably softer approach to crypto regulation, with its Crypto Task Force set to meet early-stage builders in Miami on January 27. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce confirmed the visit, inviting small crypto projects to directly engage with regulators and share feedback …
Next week is shaping up to be a consequential one for crypto policy, as two key Senate committees prepare to advance legislation.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
Former CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam and Dan Gallagher, a senior legal executive at Robinhood Markets, have joined FINRA's Board of Governors.
A sweeping bill to regulate the crypto industry in the Senate Banking Committee is moving forward, one way or another, in the new year.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
The firm said Democratic demands for conflict-of-interest restrictions affecting senior officials could complicate passage this year.
Crypto asset manager Grayscale has begun distributing staking rewards to investors in its Ethereum staking exchange-traded fund.
Need to know what happened in crypto today? Here is the latest news on daily trends and events impacting Bitcoin price, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and crypto regulation.
Crenshaw cast a dissenting voice against spot Bitcoin ETF approvals in January 2024, and consistently expressed her crypto-skeptical views.
The exchange-traded funds will invest both directly and indirectly in the tokens.
US Representative Maxine Waters has formally asked House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill to schedule an oversight hearing with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins, saying the agency must explain recent choices that, she argues, weaken enforcement of securities laws. Related Reading: Bitcoin Rules The Decade: Outshines Gold And Silver, Analyst Says Waters Seeks Answers On Dropped SEC Cases According to Waters’ letter, the SEC has terminated or stayed a number of high-profile crypto enforcement actions that had been moving through the agency’s process, and committee Democrats want an explanation for those decisions. Reports have disclosed that the letter names actions involving Coinbase, Binance, Justin Sun, Kraken, and Ripple among those of concern. The request lists nine areas where the SEC’s recent conduct raises questions for lawmakers, including whether enforcement choices were driven by legal judgment or by outside pressures. Waters, who is the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, told Chairman Hill that the public deserves clarity about changes to enforcement strategy and about how investor protections will be preserved. Concerns About Politicization And Investor Protections Based on reports, Waters expressed particular alarm that the agency’s handling of cases since US President Donald Trump took office looks different from prior enforcement patterns, and she argues that some moves could amount to an erosion of investor protections. Industry observers and several media outlets have picked up the story, noting the broader context: a year of big shifts in crypto policy and new legislation that has altered the regulatory picture. ???? MAXINE WATERS CALLS FOR HEARING ON SEC CHAIR ATKINS’ CRYPTO DECISIONS — The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) December 30, 2025 Some outlets say the timing of Waters’ letter—sent late in December—reflects rising pressure from Democrats as they prepare for oversight if they regain more committee influence. What Waters Wants From The SEC In her request, Waters seeks direct answers about why certain cases were dropped or delayed, what internal analyses the SEC relied on, and whether staff reductions or policy shifts affected enforcement. She also asked that Chairman Atkins appear before the committee so members can question him in public. Committee Role And Next Steps Reports indicate the letter was delivered to Chairman Hill on December 29, 2025, and that Waters urged him to set a date for an oversight hearing as soon as possible. Related Reading: Crypto Heat Fizzling Out? US Search Interest Plunges As Retail Shy Away The committee could use a hearing to examine documents and testimony from SEC officials, and to press for a public accounting of how decisions were made about major crypto matters. How quickly that happens will depend on the committee’s calendar and on whether Hill agrees to a formal public session. The issue has drawn attention because it involves both enforcement of existing securities law and the future of crypto oversight in the US. Investors, industry groups, and lawmakers on both sides are watching to see whether the SEC’s recent moves represent a long-term policy shift or isolated choices tied to individual cases. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The filing marks the first attempt to bring TAO, Bittensor’s native token, to U.S. markets through a regulated investment product.