U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty confirmed that lawmakers expect progress on digital asset market structure legislation in April, renewing momentum after months of delays. Speaking at the Digital Assets and Emerging Tech Policy Summit at Vanderbilt University, Hagerty said Republican lawmakers plan to move the bill into the Senate Banking Committee starting next week. He noted that lawmakers are close to agreement but acknowledged that “there’s still a lot more work to do.”
CLARITY Act Progress Faces Key Regulatory and Ethics Issues
Originally introduced as the CLARITY Act when it passed the House of Representatives in July, the legislation is considered one of the most significant crypto bills under review. It is expected to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets and shift major oversight responsibilities from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Because both agencies oversee different areas, the bill must also pass through the Senate Agriculture Committee, which advanced its version in a January markup. However, Banking Committee action has been delayed due to concerns involving tokenized equities, ethics rules, and stablecoin yield provisions.
Midterm Elections Add Pressure to Complete Bill
Hagerty emphasized the urgency of advancing the legislation before upcoming midterm elections, stating that completing committee work in April could allow lawmakers to finalize the bill ahead of the political cycle. Similar optimism was expressed by Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal, who said lawmakers are “close to a deal” on unresolved issues. Meanwhile, the advocacy group Stand With Crypto noted that lawmakers’ votes on the legislation could influence voter sentiment during the 2026 midterms.
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