SEC Chair Backs Crypto Market Structure Bill as Congress Votes

In a public endorsement that signals a significant shift in regulatory tone, SEC Chair Paul Atkins explicitly backed the market structure legislation moving through Congress. “This is a big week for crypto – Congress is on the cusp of upgrading our financial markets for the 21st century,” Atkins stated in a Fox Business interview. He argued that the bill aligns directly with the administration’s objective of “making America the crypto capital of the world,” asserting that “clear legislation and clear rules” are prerequisites for “certainty in the marketplace.”

Atkins’s support was reiterated on social media, where he emphasized that the “most important thing we can do right now for investors is bring crypto asset markets out of the regulatory gray zone.” He framed the bipartisan effort as a way to “future-proof against rogue regulators,” a pointed critique of previous SEC leadership. The Chair also highlighted his eagerness to collaborate with CFTC counterpart Michael Selig and others in the administration, which he described as a “financial services regulatory dream team,” to implement the legislation.

The core of the legislative push is the CLARITY Act, which aims to definitively split regulatory jurisdiction over digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This long-awaited jurisdictional clarity is seen by proponents as the foundational step for mature market development. The Senate Banking and Agriculture committees are working to align drafts ahead of a scheduled markup on Thursday, January 15, with the goal of pushing a final bill to a Congressional vote.

Industry analysts are drawing dramatic parallels to underscore the bill’s importance. Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan described the CLARITY Act as the “Punxsutawney Phil of this crypto winter,” suggesting its fate could predict the market’s near-term future. “If it sticks its head out but fails in Congress, the winter could continue. If instead it passes and is signed into law, we’re heading to new all-time highs,” Hougan said. This sentiment was echoed by Michaël van de Poppe, co-founder of MN Fund, who noted that while the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act was a “market decider,” the CLARITY Act “is that in square.”

Van de Poppe emphasized the high stakes, calling it “absolutely the biggest event, already in January” with the power to “decide the entire direction of the ecosystem for the entire year 2026.” He concluded, “If positive, Bitcoin towards a new ATH is not far away.” At the time of the report, Bitcoin (BTC) was trading around $91,200, down approximately 28% from its all-time high, underscoring the market’s anticipation for a positive regulatory catalyst.

The passage of the CLARITY Act would represent a monumental shift in the U.S. regulatory landscape. For years, the crypto industry has operated under a patchwork of state rules and conflicting guidance from federal agencies, with the SEC and CFTC often at odds over which assets fall under their respective purviews. By establishing a clear, legislated framework, Congress aims to provide the certainty that institutional and retail investors, as well as project developers, have long demanded.

Chairman Atkins’s bullish stance and his commitment to work with CFTC leadership indicate a coordinated, top-down approach to implementation. This contrasts sharply with the enforcement-heavy strategy of prior years. The administration’s goal, as articulated by Atkins and referenced figures like David Sacks, is to foster innovation and capital formation within a structured environment, thereby attracting global crypto business to U.S. markets. The successful enactment and implementation of this market structure bill could indeed set the stage for the United States to reclaim and solidify its position at the forefront of the digital asset revolution.