Published On: Fri, 19 Dec 2025 02:02:22 GMT

US CLARITY Act Heads to Senate Markup in January

David Sacks, the White House’s AI and crypto policy lead, confirmed that the CLARITY act bill will enter the Senate markup stage in Jan 2026.

Sahil Thakur News

Dec 19, 2025

Author: Sahil Thakur

19th December 2025 – The long-awaited Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) is moving forward. David Sacks, the White House’s AI and crypto policy lead, confirmed that the bill will enter the Senate markup stage in January 2026.

This stage marks a major step. It opens the door to debate, amendments, and a possible full Senate vote later in the year.

Key Takeaways

The CLARITY Act will enter the US Senate markup stage in January 2026, after clearing the House in July 2025.
The bill aims to resolve SEC vs. CFTC jurisdiction, create clear token classification rules, and regulate crypto spot markets under the CFTC.
Amendments will focus on asset classification, investor protections, registration timelines, and limiting conflicting state rules.
If passed, this would become the first comprehensive crypto market structure law in the US, ending years of regulatory uncertainty.

Senate Timeline Locked

Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott and Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman have agreed on the January timeline. Both committees oversee different parts of crypto regulation – the Banking Committee for securities, and the Agriculture Committee for commodities via the CFTC.

The markup process will involve reviewing the bill line-by-line. Lawmakers can propose changes, debate trade-offs, and vote on amendments before sending it to the Senate floor.

Three Key Issues on the Table

Senators are expected to focus on:

Asset classification — clarifying which tokens are commodities vs. securities.
Consumer protections — including custody rules, disclosures, and conflict-of-interest safeguards for exchanges and brokers.
Implementation timelines — defining how quickly platforms must comply and how regulators will coordinate.

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There may also be changes to preemption language, aiming to unify federal and state-level crypto rules without limiting state enforcement power.

What Happens If It Passes?

If the Senate approves the bill with changes, it returns to the House for final approval. Then, it could land on President Trump’s desk for a signature in 2026.

The House had already passed the original version back in July 2025. Progress slowed due to the 43-day government shutdown in October–November. Still, regulators kept momentum going through meetings with major firms like Coinbase, Ripple, and Circle.

What Would the CLARITY Act Do?

If passed into law, the CLARITY Act would:

Place spot crypto markets under CFTC regulation.
Create a federal registration regime for brokers, dealers, and exchanges.
Define clear boundaries between the SEC and CFTC on token oversight.
Establish investor protection rules and compliance standards.
Provide legal clarity for crypto firms operating in the US.

This would be the first comprehensive US crypto law, replacing years of enforcement-led regulation with a clear market structure.

Supporters argue that it would:

Attract institutional players.
Reduce compliance uncertainty.
Help the US stay competitive with countries that already have crypto laws in place.

The History Of The Clarity Act

      History of the US CLARITY Act (Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025)
    
Stage / Event
Description
Key Dates / Examples
Origins & Need
Response to regulatory uncertainty in crypto markets – conflicting SEC/CFTC roles and enforcement-led oversight. 
Before 2025 enforcement focus (Ripple, SEC actions). 
Bill Introduction
Introduced to create clear federal market-structure framework for digital assets by dividing roles of SEC and CFTC. 
H.R. 3633 by Rep. French Hill. May 29, 2025. 
Committee Review
Underwent hearings and revisions in House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees. 
June 5 & June 23, 2025 hearings and reported out. 
House Passage
Passed in a significant bipartisan vote as part of a crypto legislative package. 
July 17, 2025 – passed 294–134. 
Senate Consideration
Referred to Senate Banking Committee; competing drafts and security concerns emerged. 
Ongoing through late 2025 with security-risk letters. 
Key Legislative Impact
First comprehensive digital-asset market structure bill, aligned with stablecoin (GENIUS Act) and CBDC bills. 
Part of 2025 crypto legislative shift. 

If Scott can secure a supermajority in the Senate, the bill can avoid long-term gridlock. Otherwise, the CLARITY Act risks being stalled, or worse, abandoned.

The coming months will decide whether 2026 becomes the year the US finally formalizes crypto market rules at the federal level.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CLARITY Act?

The CLARITY Act is a proposed US crypto regulation bill that aims to define digital assets, resolve SEC-CFTC jurisdiction, and establish a registration framework for exchanges and brokers.

What’s happening in January 2026?

The bill will enter Senate markup, where lawmakers will review it line by line, propose amendments, and decide whether to send it to the full Senate for a vote.

What changes could the Senate make?

Amendments may tighten asset classification rules, introduce stronger investor protections, and clarify timelines for registration and agency oversight.

How would this impact crypto markets?

If passed, the CLARITY Act would reduce legal uncertainty, support institutional adoption, and make the US more competitive globally by offering a clear regulatory framework.

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US CLARITY Act Heads to Senate Markup in January

Key Takeaways

Senate Timeline Locked

Three Key Issues on the Table

The Talk

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What Happens If It Passes?

What Would the CLARITY Act Do?

The History Of The Clarity Act

What’s Next?

Frequently Asked Questions

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