U.S. Senate Postpones Crypto Market Structure Legislation Until Early 2026

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee has decided to push back its markup on the crypto market structure bill to early 2026, prolonging the uncertainty surrounding regulations for digital assets and agency oversight.

Key Takeaways

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee has postponed the markup on the crypto market structure bill to early 2026.
The delay extends the uncertainty for regulations affecting digital assets and oversight by government agencies.
Lawmakers aimed to finalize crypto regulations by the end of 2025, but committee progress has stalled.
No major legislation on crypto market structure will conclude in 2025, leaving industry participants in a state of limbo.
Future hearings and markup sessions are expected to resume early in 2026, contingent on ongoing bipartisan support.

U.S. Senate delays crypto market structure bill to 2026.

Overview of Crypto Regulation Efforts

As lawmakers approach the final legislative week of 2025, which is expected to be cut short due to the upcoming holiday recess, the Senate Banking Committee has confirmed that it has run out of time to consider the crypto market structure bill this year.

Participants in the crypto industry are eagerly waiting for any updates on whether the Senate Banking Committee will unveil the latest bipartisan draft before the holiday break. This draft has been actively developed for almost two months and its publication would reveal how legislators plan to allocate regulatory oversight and outline critical elements of the digital asset markets.

In addition, the Senate Agriculture Committee has not set a date for its markup of its own crypto-related legislation, indicating that its review will likely be postponed until 2026 as well. This situation adds to a process that Senate leaders initially aimed to wrap up by the end of 2025. The lack of coordinated progress between the two committees diminishes the chances of timely legislative action on comprehensive crypto market structure rules.

The delay confirms that no significant legislation on crypto market structure will be completed in 2025, despite extensive bipartisan discussions. Conversations are anticipated to resume in early 2026, although this setback continues to create regulatory uncertainty for cryptocurrency companies operating in the United States. As such, committees are expected to recommence hearings and possibly advance markup sessions early next year, assuming bipartisan cooperation remains intact following the congressional break.