US Crypto Regulation Update: CLARITY Act, BRCA, and 2026 Moves

A digest of hearings, amendments, and enforcement actions shaping digital assets in 2026, including CLARITY Act and the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act.

Rich by Coin

2026-01-15

US crypto regulation is advancing as lawmakers weigh new guardrails for digital assets.
A Lowenstein Crypto Brief summarizes a sequence of hearings, bills, and enforcement actions that are shaping the path forward for crypto markets.
The digest highlights how market-structure proposals, asset classifications, and cross-asset regulatory cooperation are converging in 2026.
Late last week, the Senate Banking Committee postponed its markup for the comprehensive digital asset market structure legislation, signaling continued negotiations with industry and lawmakers.

Senator Tim Scott described the pause as a sign that leaders remain at the table, even as Coinbase publicly raised concerns about the latest draft.
The Senate Agriculture Committee also postponed its action on crypto market structure legislation to secure broader backing for the bill.
On January 12, the Banking Committee released an amended Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, introducing a two‑part framework that classifies digital assets as ancillary assets or network tokens and directs the SEC and CFTC to coordinate on capital‑efficient margining across securities, derivatives, and digital commodities.
The amendment also clarifies that stablecoin issuers are not deemed to pay interest when third parties offer rewards and codifies that tokenized securities are treated for regulatory purposes as the underlying instruments they represent.

It further requires intermediaries that interact with decentralized finance entities to implement exam‑ready risk programs.
In parallel, Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden introduced the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act to clarify that blockchain developers and service providers should not be classified as money transmitters unless they control or handle user funds.
The sponsors argue the bill would remove regulatory ambiguity that could stifle innovation, a concern underscored by past Tornado Cash convictions.
The BRCA would make clear that writing software and maintaining networks does not itself trigger money-transfer requirements.