U.S. Senate Sets Jan 15 for Crypto Bill Markup Amid 2026 Budget Crunch

The clock is ticking for the crypto industry as the U.S. Senate enters a high-stakes sprint. On January 6, 2026, lawmakers returned to the negotiating table to hammer out a definitive market structure for digital assets.

US Senate Crypto Bill 2026 Markup: Tim Scott's January Push

Senator Tim Scott, Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, is reportedly driving toward a bill markup on January 15. This move signals a renewed urgency to provide regulatory clarity, matching the House's earlier passage of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. However, significant friction remains between Republican and Democratic negotiators over the bill's fine print.

Sticking Points: Ethics, DeFi, and Stablecoin Yields

Democrats are pressing for stringent ethics standards to prevent government officials from profiting from digital assets—a move seen as a direct jab at Donald Trump's crypto involvements. Furthermore, the banking industry is lobbying heavily for the GENIUS Act provisions to be included, which would ban crypto affiliates from paying yield on stablecoins, effectively limiting their competition with traditional banks.

The January 30 federal spending deadline adds another layer of complexity. If a shutdown occurs, the momentum for crypto legislation could stall. Despite the pressure from Crypto Czar David Sacks, the path to a bipartisan consensus remains narrow.