US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins said he expects the cryptocurrency market structure bill to reach US President Donald Trump’s desk later this year.

Speaking to Fox Business on Monday, Atkins outlined his outlook for digital asset regulation in 2026 and pointed to the passage of the GENIUS Act in 2025 as a meaningful step toward clearer rules for the sector. He said the next major catalyst for the domestic crypto industry is the bipartisan market structure bill now moving through Congress.

“This [bill] fits in with the president’s focus on making America the crypto capital of the world, so if you have clear legislation and clear rules, then you have certainty in the marketplace,” he said. “We’re behind it, we’re very bullish on the effects of the bill getting to the president to be signed this year and I think that will really be a huge help to the crypto marketplace.”

Lawmakers work through the legislative process

On Monday, the US Senate Agriculture Committee, which has oversight of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, delayed the final markup of the bill until the end of January, saying more time is needed to refine the text and secure sufficient backing. The committee had originally planned to hold the markup on Thursday to coincide with a review of the same legislation by the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees the SEC. While the Agriculture Committee postponed its vote, the Banking Committee is still scheduled to proceed as planned.

Growing expectations around the bill also come with some uncertainty. A potential government shutdown could complicate the timeline if the House of Representatives does not approve a package of government spending measures by Jan. 30.

Industry hopes for regulatory clarity

On X, Atkins said the most important step the government can take right now is to “bring crypto asset markets out of the regulatory gray zone.” “Passing bipartisan market structure legislation will help us future-proof against rogue regulators, ensuring that we achieve President Trump’s goal to make the U.S. the crypto capital of the world,” he said.

The market structure bill is widely viewed as a pivotal move toward establishing clearer oversight of the US crypto industry, with its framework designed to define the respective roles of the SEC and the CFTC in supervising digital asset markets.

Sources:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/house-easily-passes-spending-package-as-lawmakers-work-to-avoid-another-shutdown

https://cointelegraph.com/news/sec-bullish-crypto-market-structure-bill-trump-desk

https://x.com/SECPaulSAtkins/status/2010850477529821664

https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6387612138112