The US Senate Banking Committee has delayed markup hearings on cryptocurrency market structure legislation until 2026, despite previous expectations for a hearing this week.
On Monday, a spokesperson for Senate Banking Committee chair Tim Scott announced that there will be no market structure markup this year.
“Chairman Scott and the Senate Banking Committee have made significant strides with Democratic colleagues on bipartisan digital asset market structure legislation,” said the spokesperson.
They emphasized that from the beginning, Chairman Scott has been committed to a “bipartisan” approach.
“He has consistently engaged in constructive discussions to create a robust bipartisan framework that offers clarity for the digital asset sector and positions America as the crypto capital of the world,” the spokesperson added.
“The Committee will continue negotiations and anticipates a markup in early 2026.”
🇺🇸 NEW: The US Senate Banking Committee confirms that it will not hold a crypto market structure markup in 2025, now pushed to early 2026 after bipartisan discussions. pic.twitter.com/UWdhHQNym7
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) December 16, 2025
Midterm elections could further delay the process
The delay has disappointed many in the crypto sector, who hoped for tangible regulatory advancements in 2025.
“The Market Structure Bill has stalled during the markup phase in the Senate … Early 2026 may also be at risk,” noted crypto investor and researcher Paul Barron.
The legislation seeks to clarify how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) manage crypto markets, with the latter identified as the primary regulator for spot markets.
Related: Senator Lummis expects crypto market structure markup next week
Midterm elections will occur in 2026, involving all House seats and around 34 Senate seats, which could complicate or delay the advancement of bipartisan legislation.
Spot crypto markets dip on Monday
It remains uncertain how quickly markup hearings will resume in 2026, as Congress will prioritize funding the federal government when it reconvenes after the holiday break. The current funding bill is set to expire on January 30, which may push crypto legislation down the agenda.
Crypto markets fell by 3.6%, with approximately $150 billion exiting the market in a few hours during late trading on Monday. Bitcoin (BTC) dropped nearly $5,000, slipping from just under $90,000 to just over $85,000, according to TradingView, and has not yet recovered.
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