Over the past week, Bitcoin has lost more than 7% and has once again approached the lower selloff zone seen at the end of November. The decline coincided with news that the U.S. Senate Banking Committee has delayed work on the long-awaited crypto market-structure bill, pushing all hearings into early 2026. The committee failed to finalize a bipartisan agreement before year-end. The office of Chair Tim Scott stressed that negotiations with Democrats continue, but issues related to financial stability, market integrity, and ethics rules are still slowing progress.
The bill aims to clarify how oversight of digital assets will be divided between the SEC and the CFTC — particularly by giving the CFTC a leading role in regulating the spot crypto market. However, both committees involved must still pass their own versions of the bill before a unified regulatory framework can be developed. There is currently no clear timeline for when the regulations could be enacted. Additionally, 2026 begins with a tightly packed congressional schedule, with lawmakers also having to focus again on government funding. Then, in November, the midterm elections.
Sentiment in the cryptocurrency market has been very weak recently. Bitcoin has softened amid prolonged regulatory uncertainty and a broader retreat from risk assets. Although the bill’s delay is not the sole driver of the downturn, it reinforces investors’ cautious stance.
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