The much-awaited Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, or the CLARITY Act, is expected to be taken to the Senate for a vote next week. According to Senator Tim Scott, the US lawmakers are preparing for a vote on the crypto market structure bill on Thursday, 15th January 2026. Once approved, the legislation has the potential to reshape the regulatory landscape for digital assets in the United States of America.
Scott spoke to Breitbart News and emphasized the extensive groundwork for the bill, noting that committee members have had access to multiple drafts over the past six months. He said, “Next Thursday, we’ll have a vote on market structure. It’s important for us to get on the record and vote. We have worked tirelessly for the last six plus months making sure that we had multiple drafts available to every member of the committee.”
Senate Ready to Vote on CLARITY Act
The Senate vote follows the House of Representatives’ approval of the CLARITY Act in July 2025. If the Senate passes the bill without amendments, it would move directly to President Donald Trump for final approval. Once it is approved, it potentially can be the most comprehensive crypto market structure legislation enacted in the US to date.
Despite the progress, significant disagreements remain up for debate. Crypto executives and policy experts continue to debate the bill’s implications. Gabriel Shapiro, crypto lawyer and founder of MetaLeX, said the US is “probably going to get a crypto market structure bill.” He further added that there are still concerns around illicit finance, but there could be “some deal” worked out.
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Legal experts believe a market structure bill is inevitable, though compromises may still be required to address concerns related to oversight and sanctions. Others are more cautious about the bill. Analysts following bipartisan Senate discussions suggest that outstanding issues could complicate a swift passage of the bill. Democratic lawmakers are reportedly seeking changes that would require decentralized finance interfaces to comply with sanctions rules and expand the Treasury Department’s authority to act against entities tied to illegal activity.
Not all industry voices oppose these proposals, though. Some investors argue that the suggested changes are reasonable safeguards that could strengthen the bill’s credibility without undermining innovation. Meanwhile, regulatory uncertainty continues to bring the crypto markets down. Investment company CoinShares recently linked $1 billion in weekly outflows from crypto investment products to delays surrounding the CLARITY Act.
Prolonged uncertainty is being cited as the key driver for the volatility. Institutional investors have echoed similar concerns, while also acknowledging the complexity of crafting foundational legislation for a rapidly evolving asset category.
