Momentum behind U.S. cryptocurrency regulation stalled again this week after Senate committees postponed a long-anticipated vote on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, commonly known as the CLARITY Act.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman confirmed that the committee will delay its planned markup until the final week of January, citing insufficient bipartisan support to move forward at this time.
Markup delayed amid vote uncertainty
The Senate Agriculture Committee had originally planned to hold its markup this week alongside the Senate Banking Committee. That plan was quietly shelved after lawmakers determined there were not enough votes to ensure passage through committee.
A markup is a key step in the legislative process, allowing lawmakers to debate the bill line by line, propose amendments, and vote on whether it should advance to the full Senate. Failure at this stage would effectively stall the legislation.
Boozman said the delay is intended to preserve bipartisan cooperation and avoid a highly partisan vote that could weaken the bill’s prospects later in the year.
Key disputes remain unresolved
Lawmakers remain divided on several core issues within the bill, including:
- How stablecoin rewards should be regulated
- The level of oversight applied to decentralized finance (DeFi)
- The division of regulatory authority between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
These disagreements have slowed progress as Senate leaders seek language that can satisfy regulators, financial institutions, and the crypto industry simultaneously.
Some lawmakers have also raised concerns about ethical boundaries for elected officials participating in crypto markets, further complicating negotiations.
What the CLARITY Act aims to do
The CLARITY Act is designed to provide a formal regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States. It would define which cryptocurrencies fall under securities law and which are considered commodities, expanding the CFTC’s oversight role.
The bill also establishes federal requirements for market oversight, customer asset segregation, and compliance standards for crypto exchanges, brokers, and custodians. Supporters argue the legislation would replace the current enforcement-driven approach with clearer statutory guidance.
The House passed its version of the bill in mid-2025 with broad bipartisan support, but the Senate has struggled to align on final language.
Next steps
By pushing the markup to late January, Senate leaders hope revised language can rebuild momentum and secure enough bipartisan backing to move the bill forward. Whether those efforts succeed will likely determine whether comprehensive crypto market reform advances in 2026 or remains stalled in legislative limbo.
