Key Highlights
- Patrick Witt, the President Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, has revealed that at least 2 to 4 Senate Banking Democrats are likely to vote in favor of the market structure bill during the markup session on January 15, 2026
- On January 15, the United States Senate will hold crucial markup sessions for the CLARITY Act
- After years of regulatory uncertainty, this legislation will provide much-needed regulatory clarity
In the recent interview, Patrick Witt, the President Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, shared his optimism for the upcoming markup for the Market Structure Bill. He believes that at least 2 to 4 Senate Banking Democrats are likely to vote in favor of the market structure bill during the markup session on January 15, 2026.
Crypto Community Eyes Markup Session for Market Structure Bill
On January 15, the United States Senate will take a major step that could define the future of digital assets in America. Both the Senate Banking Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee will hold crucial markup sessions for the CLARITY Act.
This is the process where lawmakers will debate, change, and shape the final text of this landmark market structure bill. For a sector that has long operated in a regulatory gray area, this moment represents a turn.
Trump Administration Intensifies Efforts for Regulatory Clarity
The markup structure will come after the bill’s approval in the House of Representatives in 2025. The CLARITY Act is expected to end years of confusion around the crypto sector by clearly dividing regulator oversight between two major federal agencies.
Under the proposed law, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) would oversee most cryptocurrencies as commodities. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would handle tokens that function like securities. This split is designed to provide the legal certainty that large banks and investment firms have been waiting for.
The legislation is packed with specific rules to protect investors and stabilize the market. It clearly bans manipulative trading techniques like wash trading and spoofing. It would provide major trading platforms to go through regular proof-of-reserves audits to prove they hold the customer assets they claim. Furthermore, it mandates real-time market surveillance to prevent disasters like the October 2025 flash crash after Trump declared a 100% tariff on China, which wiped out over $19 billion of investment from the market in a single day.
However, the bill is not without controversy. Its approach to stablecoins, which could limit passive yields in favor of traditional banks, has sparked strong opposition.
Senator Cynthia Lummis has also urged Democrats not to retreat from these legislative efforts.
These provisions have a major impact on Coinbase, threatening to withdraw its support for the bill entirely. Recently, the Agriculture Committee postponed its session due to bipartisan disagreements, which highlights the delicate negotiations still underway.
Also Read: Senate Unveils Crucial 278-Page Crypto Bill Ahead of Vote
