Senate Agriculture Committee Releases Crypto Bill

The Senate Agriculture Committee is releasing its portion of a major crypto bill today, ahead of the January 27 mark-up. The bill explains how the United States plans to split crypto regulation between the CFTC and the SEC.

Under this proposal, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) would oversee most crypto spot markets. It classifies “digital products” as blockchain-based assets used for payments, governance or network fees. These assets would not be treated as securities unless they were sold as investment contracts.

This gives crypto companies clearer rules and reduces SEC scrutiny over non-security tokens. The Senate Banking Committee has a different approach. His plan gives more power to the SEC by introducing “ancillary assets”. The SEC would decide on a case-by-case basis whether these assets are securities.

With the banking industry at a standstill, the US Senate Agriculture Committee is expected to release new crypto legislation today, with a vote expected next week. pic.twitter.com/23OvzFr5hc

– mracrypto (@MRACRYPTO_) January 21, 2026

This approach creates less certainty and limits the automatic authority of the CFTC, which relies on coordination among committees to resolve disputes. The Agriculture Committee bill also creates new CFTC registration categories for crypto exchanges, brokers and dealers. The Banking Committee’s version does not create new CFTC roles and instead attempts to integrate crypto into existing securities laws.

Senate Crypto Bill Gets Bipartisan Support

The bill has bipartisan support. In July 2025, the House passed the CLARITY Act with bipartisan support. In the Senate, lawmakers from both sides continue negotiations. However, progress slowed after the Banking Committee delayed its January 15 increase. Coinbase later withdrew its support due to concerns over stable returns and privacy. Patrick Witt, a White House crypto adviser, warned that delays could lead to stricter rules later.

Reactions from the industry have been mixed. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse hailed the bill as a positive step. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins also supports bipartisan crypto legislation to ensure long-term regulatory stability.

The Agriculture Committee will hold its markup on January 27 at 3 p.m. ET. Lawmakers can propose changes before voting to move the bill forward. Key sections on DeFi, developers, and anti-money laundering are still drafts, leaving room for changes.

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