Catenaa, Wednesday, January 21, 2026- The US Senate Agriculture Committee released updated text of a crypto market structure bill early today, ahead of a scheduled hearing next week, as disagreements persist over core policy issues.
The Agriculture Committee, which oversees the CFTC, plans to hold a hearing on January 27.
Committee Chair Sen. John Boozman said the revised proposal reflects bipartisan work with Sen. Cory Booker and would expand consumer protections while granting new authority to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
He acknowledged unresolved differences but said the draft reflects months of negotiations and feedback from industry and other stakeholders.
The committee first circulated a 155-page discussion draft in November that proposed placing much of digital asset oversight under the CFTC.
That version included extensive bracketed language signaling open policy questions. Areas left unsettled included decentralized finance oversight, joint rulemaking authority between the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the handling of stablecoins.
The newly released draft removes all bracketed sections and omits provisions related to noncontrolling blockchain developers and anti-money laundering requirements that appeared in the earlier version.
The changes signal an effort to narrow the bill’s scope as lawmakers seek a path forward.
Industry groups welcomed the release as progress toward a clearer regulatory framework.
Advocates say defined federal rules could reduce uncertainty for crypto markets while strengthening consumer safeguards.
Any amended version approved by the panel would need to be reconciled with separate legislation from the Senate Banking Committee, which has jurisdiction over the SEC and has faced delays on its own proposal.
Once merged, a final bill would require 60 votes to advance on the Senate floor, meaning bipartisan backing would be necessary.
