Quick Breakdown
- The Senate Banking Committee has delayed its crypto bill markup to continue bipartisan negotiations.
- Lawmakers are divided over stablecoin yield payments and regulatory scope.
- Crypto firms remain split, with Coinbase opposing the bill while others support it.
The US Senate Banking Committee has postponed its planned markup of a major bill on crypto market structure, signalling ongoing divisions in Washington over how digital assets should be regulated.
I’ve spoken with leaders across the crypto industry, the financial sector, and my Democratic and Republican colleagues, and everyone remains at the table working in good faith.
As we take a brief pause before moving to a markup, this market structure bill reflects months of…
— Senator Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) January 15, 2026
Committee Chairman Tim Scott announced early Thursday that the markup, initially scheduled for Thursday, has been delayed to allow more time for bipartisan negotiations. According to Scott, discussions are still ongoing with lawmakers from both parties as well as stakeholders across the crypto and financial industries.
He said the aim remains to craft legislation that provides regulatory clarity, protects consumers, strengthens national security, and keeps financial innovation anchored in the United States. However, Scott did not provide a new date for when the markup will be rescheduled.
The delay follows a similar move by the Senate Agriculture Committee, which earlier this week pushed its own markup of the bill to January 27, citing the need to finalize outstanding issues and secure broader support.
Why the bill matters — and why it’s stalled
The proposed legislation is highly anticipated by the crypto industry because it would formally define how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversee digital asset markets.
While the House of Representatives passed its version of the bill, known as the CLARITY Act, in July, Senate rules require both the Banking Committee and the Agriculture Committee to approve their respective portions before the bill can advance.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman said lawmakers have made “meaningful progress” but still need to resolve remaining details to ensure the legislation commands wide bipartisan backing.
Crypto industry split over stablecoin rules
Despite progress in Congress, the crypto industry itself is divided over the Senate Banking Committee’s draft released earlier this week. A major sticking point is a provision that restricts stablecoin yield payments from third-party platforms, such as crypto exchanges.
While the GENIUS Act already bans stablecoin issuers from paying yield, many exchanges currently offer incentives to users who hold stablecoins. Banking lobby groups have pushed hard to block these practices, arguing they could increase the risk of bank deposit runs and create a parallel banking system.
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