U.S Senate Delays Key Crypto Market Bill to Address Rising Housing Costs
- Senate delays crypto bill to focus on housing issues before the 2026 elections.
- Trump signs order limiting big investors from buying single-family homes.
- Crypto oversight remains unsettled as committees work on separate bill drafts.
The U.S. Senate postponed a major cryptocurrency market bill this week. Lawmakers turned focus to housing legislation tied to rising living costs. The Banking Committee now anticipates postponing the bill on the digital asset market structure to late February or March. The delay comes after the Trump administration pressure to focus on affordability ahead of the 2026 congress elections.
President Trump signed an executive order restricting large institutional investors from buying single-family homes. The Treasury Department must set thresholds, and federal agencies must block government-backed support for such purchases. Institutional investors own less than 1% of single-family homes, but the order aims to curb potential market influence. Lawmakers consider housing costs a more immediate concern than crypto policy at this stage.
Crypto Oversight Remains Unsettled
The bill separates the regulation of digital assets between the SEC and the CFTC. Digital commodities such as Bitcoin would be regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and tokens that are tied to securities would be regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The industry groups indicate that the bill will help to clear the rules and safeguard the U.S. innovation. Some of the provisions will lower yields, strengthen surveillance, and limit the decentralized finance platforms, according to critics, including Coinbase.
Committees Work Separately on Legislation
The Senate Agriculture Committee released a GOP-led draft on January 21. The markup is scheduled for January 27 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Agriculture proposal expands the CFTC’s authority but lacks full Democratic support. Final legislation must reconcile Banking and Agriculture Committee versions before a Senate vote. Analysts estimate the bill has a 20% to 30% chance of passage without major compromise.
The postponements provide crypto companies and investors with sufficient time to lobby politicians. The republicans are hoping to win legislatively before midterm elections. The increase in housing expenses has become a political priority, and crypto regulations are not so urgent.
According to lawmakers, the bill will have to make some compromises to attract sufficient support. Similarly, last year the US Senate delayed the crypto market structure bill to 2026 as budget priorities and limited calendar time slowed legislative progress.
Political Pressure Shapes Timeline
The Banking Committee supports Trump’s executive order on institutional home purchases. Focus on affordability has delayed crypto legislation multiple times. Previously, Coinbase pulled out of stablecoin and tokenized equity regulations. During committee markups, democrats can offer amendments as also when the combined bill comes to the Senate floor. Further delays could keep the U.S. crypto-policy in limbo until the 2026 elections.
