US Senate Sets Late January Markup for Crypto Market Structure Bill

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee will take its next formal step on crypto market structure legislation later this month, after Republican leadership set a clear timeline for releasing text and holding a markup. The schedule places digital asset regulation back on the Senate calendar as lawmakers push to define oversight lines between financial regulators.

On X, Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans said Chairman John Boozman will release legislative text by the close of business on Jan. 21. The committee then plans to hold a markup at 3 p.m. on Jan. 27. The process centers on the Senate’s work tied to the CLARITY Act framework, which seeks to clarify how crypto markets are regulated in the United States.

The announcement confirms that Senate Agriculture will move ahead with its portion of the broader crypto market structure effort, which follows earlier action in the House and parallel work in other Senate committees.

Crypto market structure returns to Senate agenda

The Agriculture Committee plays a key role in crypto legislation because it oversees the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. As a result, its work focuses on defining which digital assets fall under the CFTC’s authority, particularly in spot crypto markets.

The upcoming text release is expected to outline how the committee plans to structure that oversight. While details remain unpublished, previous discussions around the CLARITY Act have centered on separating commodities-like crypto assets from securities, a distinction that affects trading platforms, brokers, and developers.

By scheduling a markup, the committee signals that negotiations have reached a stage where senators are ready to debate language publicly, offer amendments, and vote on advancing the bill. A successful markup would move the legislation one step closer to full Senate consideration.

How the Jan. 27 markup fits the wider crypto debate

The Senate effort follows months of debate across Congress over how to regulate crypto without overlapping or conflicting rules. In the House, lawmakers already advanced a version of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, placing pressure on the Senate to act.

At the same time, other Senate committees remain involved. The Banking Committee handles issues tied to securities law and investor protection, meaning final legislation will require coordination across panels. That structure has slowed progress but also narrowed disagreements compared with earlier drafts.

For the crypto industry, the Agriculture Committee’s timeline provides a near-term signal on when regulatory clarity may start to take shape. The release of text on Jan. 21 will offer the first detailed look at how Senate Republicans plan to frame CFTC authority and market rules. The Jan. 27 markup will then determine whether that framework can advance amid ongoing negotiations over crypto regulation in Congress.