Rich by Coin

U.S. lawmakers are returning crypto regulation to the top of the legislative agenda, with market structure and stablecoin policy set for renewed action in January 2026. After months of stalled negotiations, both chambers of Congress are preparing hearings and procedural steps that could shape how digital assets are regulated in the United States.

Attention centers on the Senate Banking Committee, which is preparing to advance a market structure proposal that aims to clarify regulatory authority over digital assets. The bill seeks to define when a token falls under securities law and when it qualifies as a commodity, effectively drawing clearer lines between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Committee leaders have indicated that January will bring formal consideration of the text, including a markup process where senators debate amendments and vote on final language. That step matters because it determines whether the bill can move to the Senate floor later in the session.

Stablecoins form the second pillar of the January agenda, although the legislative posture differs from market structure. Congress approved a stablecoin framework last year, establishing rules for dollar-backed tokens, reserve requirements, and issuer oversight. As 2026 begins, the emphasis turns to how regulators will apply those rules in practice. Federal agencies are expected to outline supervision standards, licensing pathways, and compliance timelines for issuers operating under the new law.

January serves as a critical inflection point because committee action sets the pace for the rest of the year. While hearings and markups do not guarantee passage, they signal political commitment and help shape negotiating positions. For the crypto industry, these sessions offer clearer signals than broad policy speeches, indicating whether Washington is moving toward enforcement-ready rules in 2026. The outcome of January’s sessions will shape how quickly the United States moves toward a more defined digital asset framework in 2026.