US crypto regulation is shifting toward practical rule-writing as Senate committees schedule votes on market structure bills. At the same time, local officials are tightening rules around crypto kiosks to curb fraud and protect consumers.
The Senate Banking Committee will hold a markup on digital asset market structure legislation on January 15, 2026. Chairman Tim Scott said the committee will consider a framework that clarifies oversight for key digital asset activities.
The committee signaled a fast timeline for updated text and member amendments. Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee is preparing its own market structure work. Two tracks could move forward on the same day.
Senate procedure also shapes the path forward. A bill often needs 60 votes to clear major floor hurdles. This pushes negotiators toward bipartisan text and narrower compromises. It also encourages clearer timelines for agency rulemaking and compliance.
Market structure proposals aim to replace overlapping mandates with definitions that assign responsibilities across regulators. The effort focuses on classification standards and registration rules for trading venues and intermediaries.
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 is known as the CLARITY Act. It outlines a federal framework for ‘digital commodities.’ It also directs agencies to prepare implementing rules and required reports. This guidance can improve compliance planning for exchanges and issuers directly.
A clearer structure can reduce reliance on enforcement actions as the primary policy signal. Consequently, regulated firms can design products around known standards and disclosures. Institutions also track the process closely, since predictable rules can lower operational and reputational risk.
Lawmakers are discussing how rules will treat decentralized finance activity. They are weighing ethics limits for officials with crypto ties.
Local governments are responding to fraud that targets users through virtual currency kiosks. Many people call them crypto ATMs or Bitcoin ATMs. Scammers commonly demand urgent payments and route funds to wallets that victims cannot reverse.
In Spokane, Washington, the city council voted unanimously in June 2025 to prohibit virtual currency kiosks under ordinance C36704. The municipal code now bars hosting or operating a kiosk inside Spokane. It also requires the removal of existing machines within set timelines.
The Spokane move highlights a policy split inside US crypto regulation. Federal lawmakers are working on market structure rules for trading, custody, and issuance. However, city leaders are targeting high-risk onramps that scammers use to reach vulnerable residents.
Together, these actions point to a more structured regulatory phase. Furthermore, near-term price action may not respond to hearings alone. However, clearer US crypto regulation can support steadier liquidity over time, as long-term capital gains confidence in compliance expectations.
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