U.S. Crypto Market Structure Bill Faces Weeks-Long Delay as Senate Shifts Focus to Housing Policy

The long-anticipated U.S. crypto market structure bill is facing a delay, as lawmakers in the Senate temporarily move their attention toward housing policy backed by President Donald Trump.

Based on Bloomberg’s report, the Senate Banking Committee has shifted its near-term priorities to housing affordability legislation, pushing consideration of the crypto bill back by several weeks. Sources familiar with the matter say the timeline for crypto regulation could now extend into late February or even March.

This development comes at a critical moment for the digital asset industry, which has been waiting for clearer rules around trading, custody, and oversight. The proposed market structure bill aims to define how cryptocurrencies should be regulated in the U.S., including which agencies would supervise different parts of the sector.

The Banking Committee steps aside for now, but work on crypto legislation is not fully paused. The Senate Agriculture Committee is still expected to vote on its digital asset bill on January 27. That bill covers oversight of digital commodities and would need to be merged with the Banking Committee’s version before the full Senate can consider a final package.

The delay shows how crypto regulation continues to compete with other political priorities in Washington, even as the sector grows in size and influence. Lawmakers have been under pressure to act, especially after repeated market disruptions and high-profile exchange failures over the past few years.

For the crypto industry, the setback means regulatory clarity remains out of reach for a little longer. Still, the fact that the legislation is advancing through committees means the momentum has merely slowed.

Market participants will now be watching closely to see whether the bill regains priority once housing policy moves forward, or if further political developments extend the timeline even more.

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