Senators engaged in bipartisan discussions regarding the anticipated crypto market structure bill met on Tuesday amid ongoing disagreements about the timing of a committee vote on the legislation. According to a report from Politico, Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a key negotiator for the Republican side, expressed optimism that a new draft of the bill could be released this week. Lummis aims to have the bill ready for markup before Congress adjourns for the holiday break, stating, “Knock on wood, I hope to share a draft at the end of this week that reflects our best efforts to date.” Lummis Urges Swift Progress On Crypto Legislation During a panel discussion hosted by the Blockchain Association, Sen. Lummis emphasized the urgency of progressing with the legislation. She remarked that it might be advantageous for lawmakers to finalize a product and proceed with the markup next week, allowing everyone to take a break for the Christmas holidays. In related developments, Politico reported that Senate Banking Republicans submitted a proposal to their Democratic counterparts last week, suggesting over 30 amendments to a previous draft of the legislation. Related Reading: Did 2025 Mark A Bear Market For Bitcoin? Predictions Point To A $150,000 Rally In 2026 The three-page document, which comes from GOP senators on the Banking Committee, seeks to maintain certain elements of the original bill while incorporating adjustments acceptable to Democratic lawmakers. Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott and other Republicans are eager to finalize the markup next week, although some Democrats have expressed skepticism about this ambitious timeline. Following a meeting on Monday, Democrats sent a response to the GOP offer, but details of their feedback remain unclear. Concessions In GOP’s Proposal The GOP’s proposal outlines the aspects from a September crypto market structure framework that they agree to integrate into a bipartisan bill, hoping to reconcile differences with their Democratic colleagues. The proposal includes a two-column table delineating 38 concessions the Republicans are willing to make, in exchange for retaining or modifying 32 sections of the original Responsible Financial Innovation Act discussion draft. Related Reading: Bitcoin Sees Largest Annual Exchange Drop: Over 400,000 Coins Gone Among the concessions is language that reflects White House approval, which could address Democratic concerns regarding appointments to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Additionally, the proposal contains ethics provisions aimed at addressing scrutiny over the Trump family’s business connections in the crypto sector. However, Lummis noted a previous ethics proposal she negotiated with Sen. Ruben Gallego was rejected by the White House, and she plans to collaborate further with Democrats to revisit the issue. Other notable concessions from the Republicans include a section on consumer protection standards for digital assets, proposed language regarding bankruptcy, the establishment of a federal baseline for crypto ATMs, and risk management standards for digital asset intermediaries. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
US Senator Cynthia Lummis has reignited speculation that the United States could move to materially increase its Bitcoin holdings, after posting a Bitcoin-themed image on X with the caption: “₿ig things coming for Franklin!” Lummis Revives Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Hype The image is drawn as a children’s book cover titled “FRANKLIN BUYS BITCOIN AND FINDS FINANCIAL FREEDOM.” At the center sits Franklin, a cartoon turtle in a backwards red cap and bandana, seated at a wooden desk. In front of him is a laptop emblazoned with the orange Bitcoin logo, clearly signaling that he is using Bitcoin-related software or services—most obviously, buying or managing BTC. Franklin’s eyes project bright “laser beams” at the screen, echoing the well-known “laser eyes” meme in Bitcoin culture. Related Reading: Bitcoin Blasts To $92,000, Liquidating $182 Million In Shorts On the desk lie physical coins stamped with the Bitcoin symbol, and a glass jar filled with more of these Bitcoin coins. The jar seems to function as a visual metaphor for saving and stacking sats over time. The subtitle “and finds financial freedom” explicitly connects Bitcoin accumulation with the idea of long-term economic sovereignty. Bitcoin-focused accounts immediately interpreted the post as a policy signal rather than a simple meme. Bitcoin Magazine summarized the moment as: “JUST IN: US Senator Cynthia Lummis hints at buying Bitcoin”. Bitcoin Archive went further, claiming: “JUST IN: US Senator Cynthia Lummis hints at a potential US Bitcoin buy. Senator Lummis has recently submitted legislation to have the US government buy 1 million Bitcoin.” Related Reading: Bitcoin And The 2026 Fed Shift: Expert Says Markets Aren’t Ready That reading is consistent with Lummis’ own public rhetoric. On November 5 she wrote via X: “I truly believe the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is the only solution to offset our national debt. I applaud @POTUS and his administration for embracing the SBR, and I look forward to getting it done.” Her legislation has pushed for a formal US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and explicitly contemplated the government holding up to 1 million BTC over time. The meme also lands after President Trump’s executive order from March this year establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve framework. While it has become very quiet around the topic, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently attended the opening of the Bitcoin bar PubKey in Washington. For many in the market, those developments, combined with Lummis’ latest post, suggest that concrete steps toward expanding US Bitcoin reserves may be progressing quietly in the background. So far, however, there has been no official confirmation of state-level Bitcoin purchases. For now, Franklin remains a symbolic turtle with laser eyes at a Bitcoin laptop—but in a market hyper-attuned to political signals, Lummis’ image is being read as the clearest hint yet that the United States could one day be the largest sovereign Bitcoin buyer. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $93,381. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
In a significant development for the ongoing discourse surrounding the digital asset sector, US Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) has raised serious allegations against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In a letter directed to FDIC Chair Marty Gruenberg, Lummis claims whistleblowers from within the agency have reported efforts to destroy documentation related to the FDIC’s digital asset activities. The senator’s letter demands an immediate cessation of these alleged actions in anticipation of Congressional oversight. FDIC Staff Threatened Over Digital Asset Oversight Senator Lummis has positioned herself as a strong advocate for Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies, and her concerns about the FDIC come amid heightened scrutiny of the agency’s handling of digital assets. In her letter, she emphasizes the gravity of the allegations, stating, “The FDIC’s alleged efforts to destroy and conceal materials from the US Senate related to Operation Chokepoint 2.0 is not only unacceptable, it is illegal.” Related Reading: Top Analyst Reports Massive Breakout For XRP Price, Eyes $10 As Next Milestone For context, operation Chokepoint 2.0 refers to a controversial initiative aimed at regulating financial institutions that engage with certain “high-risk industries,” including the digital asset sector. Lummis’s correspondence outlines specific claims made by whistleblowers who allege that FDIC staff members have faced threats of legal action to discourage them from disclosing information to the Senate. She asserts that management has been closely monitoring access to documents to prevent potential leaks before any materials can be destroyed. This alleged behavior, if proven true, violates the principles of transparency that the American public deserves, the Senator stated. ‘Documentation Must Be Secured And Preserved’ In her letter, Lummis explicitly instructs Chair Gruenberg to ensure that all destruction of materials ceases immediately and that all existing documentation related to the FDIC’s digital asset activities since January 1, 2022, is preserved. The senator defines “digital asset activities” broadly, encompassing a range of topics, including the supervision and resolution of banks involved in the crypto sector—specifically Signature Bank and Silvergate Bank—as well as the development of rules and policies governing digital assets. Lummis further underscores the importance of retaining any materials containing terms associated with digital assets, such as “crypto,” “cryptocurrency,” “Bitcoin,” and “Ethereum.” Related Reading: Dogecoin Open Interest Spikes To Nearly $5 Billion – Impact On Price She makes it clear that any classification of these documents as confidential or privileged does not exempt them from the Senate’s oversight powers, insisting that the FDIC must take all necessary steps to secure and maintain the integrity of these records. The senator warns that if evidence emerges indicating that FDIC staff have knowingly destroyed materials or obstructed Senate oversight, she will not hesitate to refer the matter to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal investigation. At the time of writing, the market’s leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, is once again trading above the $101,000 mark, up nearly 8% on a weekly basis. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
“Democrats legacy: A loss of more than $18.5 billion in unrealized value for American taxpayers,” the senator wrote on social media.
In the face of growing global regulatory pressure on the crypto industry, the Biden administration’s intensified crackdown and the actions of regulatory bodies have prompted Senator Cynthia Lummis to issue a strong statement against the US government’s stance on the industry. Senator Lummis, a prominent supporter of Bitcoin and the overall crypto market, has advocated […]