U.S. Amendments Under Debate: Democrats Push for Ethical Safeguards in Cryptocurrency Regulation Before Senate Vote

A new wave of amendments in the United States has shaken the Capitol as Democratic lawmakers intensify their efforts to prevent public officials from exploiting their positions in the digital asset industry. With the Senate vote approaching, pressure on the Cryptocurrency Market Structure Bill has increased significantly, transforming what began as a regulatory discussion into a broader confrontation over ethics, transparency, and conflicts of interest in American politics.

Interest Conflicts: The Democratic Push for Regulatory Transparency

Senator Michael Bennet introduced an amendment aimed at incorporating the Digital Assets Ethics Act into the broader bill, a measure explicitly designed to prohibit U.S. government officials from financially enriching themselves through companies related to cryptocurrencies while holding public office. The move reflects growing concerns among Democratic legislators about what they perceive as blatant conflicts of interest.

Senator Elizabeth Warren and her colleagues have repeatedly pushed for stricter safeguards, arguing that cryptocurrency legislation should not allow self-interest by high-level elected officials. These concerns have gained further relevance given the reported links between President Donald Trump and the cryptocurrency platform World Liberty Financial—a stake that critics argue has significantly increased his personal wealth while serving as a prominent political figure.

Incomplete CFTC: An Obstacle to Effective Oversight

Senator Amy Klobuchar proposed an alternative amendment that would delay the legislation’s implementation until the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has its full team in place. Currently, the CFTC operates only with its chair, Michael Selig, who was sworn in on December 22, 2025. The remaining four commissioner seats remain vacant, with no confirmed timeline for new appointments.

Proponents of this proposal argue that implementing comprehensive cryptocurrency oversight without a fully operational commission could compromise regulatory effectiveness and consistency in enforcement. The incomplete staffing presents a significant challenge to any attempt to establish a robust regulatory regime in the digital assets market.

Legislative Expansion Beyond the Crypto Sector

Senators Roger Marshall, Dick Durbin, and Peter Welch introduced additional amendments seeking to incorporate the Credit Card Competition Act into the text. This proposal would prohibit payment networks and certain issuing banks from enforcing exclusive network agreements on credit card transactions. These additions highlight how the discussion on the cryptocurrency market structure has become a broader arena of dispute over financial regulation, competition policy, and consumer protection.

Uncertainty and Delays: A Senate Review Under Pressure

The Senate markup scheduled for Tuesday had already been postponed previously due to disputes over restrictions on stablecoin rewards and decentralized finance provisions—disagreements that led Coinbase to withdraw its support for the bill earlier this month. Now, new uncertainties threaten to cause another delay: meteorologists forecast a significant snowstorm that could impact Washington, DC.

Despite the obstacles, the legislation remains one of the most closely watched cryptocurrency bills in the U.S. Congress, seen by industry participants as a crucial step toward lasting regulatory clarity in the United States.