US Senate Delays Crypto Market Bill Again as Housing Takes Priority
A sweeping U.S. crypto market structure bill has been delayed once again, as Senate lawmakers shifted focus toward housing legislation amid rising living costs.
According to a Jan. 22 Bloomberg report, the Senate Banking Committee postponed its planned markup of the long-awaited digital asset bill, pushing consideration back several weeks to late February or March.
Housing affordability moves to the front of the agenda
The delay follows increased pressure from the Trump administration to prioritize housing affordability ahead of the 2026 congressional elections, with housing costs viewed as a major contributor to inflation for U.S. households.
Lawmakers are drafting legislation aimed at curbing large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Treasury Department to establish thresholds for large institutional buyers and instructing federal agencies to withdraw government-backed support for such purchases.
While estimates suggest institutional investors own less than 1% of U.S. single-family homes, political concern over housing affordability has overtaken crypto policy on the legislative agenda.
A spokesperson for the Senate Banking Committee declined to comment, and the White House did not immediately respond to media inquiries.
Crypto legislation faces mounting friction
The crypto bill had already been delayed earlier this month after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong withdrew support, citing concerns over provisions affecting stablecoin rewards, tokenized equities, and decentralized finance protocols.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a federal regulatory framework for digital assets by dividing oversight between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Under the draft, the CFTC would oversee digital commodities such as Bitcoin, while the SEC would retain authority over securities-linked tokens.
Industry groups argue the bill would help preserve crypto innovation in the U.S. and provide long-awaited regulatory clarity. Critics, however, warn the current drafts could restrict yields, expand surveillance, and impose burdens on DeFi platforms.
Parallel efforts continue in the Senate
Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee released a separate Republican-led draft on Jan. 21, with a markup scheduled for Jan. 27 at 3:00 p.m. ET. That proposal expands the CFTC’s authority over digital commodities but lacks full Democratic support, including from Senator Cory Booker.
Any final legislation would require reconciling the Agriculture and Banking Committee versions before advancing to a full Senate vote.
Industry estimates currently place the bill’s chances of passage at 20% to 30% without major compromises, raising concerns that extended delays could leave U.S. crypto policy unresolved heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
