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White House Talks With Crypto Executives On Market Structure

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The White House hosted senior officials from the administration and leaders across the cryptocurrency and banking sectors to chart how stablecoins and other digital assets might fit within a refreshed market-structure framework under the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act. The session came after the Senate Banking Committee postponed a markup on the act earlier in the year, a reminder of the legislative complexity surrounding a rapidly evolving space. Attendees from the Digital Chamber, a crypto advocacy group, underscored the need for guardrails on tokenized equities, decentralized finance, and the ethics of elected officials holding digital assets as policy detail is negotiated. The discussions signal a willingness to bridge policy ambitions with industry realities, even as lawmakers prepare for a multichamber, intercommittee process before any final vote.

Key takeaways

  • The White House meeting focused on how CLARITY Act provisions on stablecoins and market structure could be reconciled with ongoing regulatory debates in Congress.
  • Lawmakers from the Senate Banking Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee are expected to merge their market-structure bills before a full chamber vote, reflecting intercommittee coordination.
  • Stakeholders emphasized that clarifying tokenized assets and yield mechanisms will be central to advancing policy that does not stifle innovation in digital markets.
  • The Digital Chamber’s leadership framed the discussions as a constructive step toward a level playing field for digital assets in the United States.
  • Democrats on the Agriculture Committee previously opposed the passage of their version of the bill, citing concerns about elected officials holding digital assets, signaling continued political sensitivity around asset exposure.
  • Expect ongoing policy refinement and negotiations as committees seek to align competing visions on governance, disclosures, and investor protections.

Market context: The policy trajectory for digital assets in the United States remains in a fluid phase, with intercommittee alignment and executive engagement shaping the pace of reform. Stakeholders expect that concrete text and a unified path to a floor vote will depend on how policymakers balance investor protections, market integrity, and the innovative potential of stablecoins and DeFi within a phased, pragmatic framework.

Why it matters

The episode matters because it marks a tangible effort to translate high-level regulatory intent into a legislative framework that could govern stablecoins, tokenized assets, and related crypto activities in the near term. For market participants, a clearer pathway—one that avoids stifling innovation while expanding guardrails—could unlock a broader set of financial products and services linked to digital assets. If policymakers can converge on a bipartisan text that addresses yield dynamics in stablecoins, governance standards for tokenized assets, and ethical considerations for officials, the roadmap for market structure reform could gain momentum after months of stalemate.

From an industry perspective, the discussions signal a shift from abstract debates to policy specifics that directly impact how liquidity, risk, and compliance are managed in the United States. The focus on tokenized equities and DeFi reflects a recognition that traditional market infrastructure may need to adapt to accommodate new asset classes and programmable financial products. Yet the political undertone remains salient: any final framework will require buy-in from lawmakers who are wary of asset exposure by public officials, which could shape the balance of provisions related to disclosures, eligibility, and oversight.

What to watch next

  • Whether Banking and Agriculture committees publish a merged market-structure bill in a single text for a floor vote.
  • Positions and amendments on tokenized equities, DeFi governance, and stablecoin yield structures to be incorporated into the final draft.
  • Any schedule for a markup resumption or formal committee hearings detailing the proposed governance and reporting requirements for digital assets.
  • Clarifications around ethics rules for elected officials holding digital assets and how those rules would be enforced in practice.
  • Public-facing statements from the White House outlining a concrete timeline for regulatory clarity and potential cross-agency coordination.

Sources & verification

  • The Digital Chamber’s post on X describing the White House meeting and policy discussions surrounding the CLARITY Act. Verify at https://x.com/DigitalChamber/status/2018422998034718813
  • Cointelegraph coverage noting that the Senate Banking Committee postponed the CLARITY Act markup in January. Verify at https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-senate-banking-cancels-thursday-crypto-bill-markup-for-negotiations
  • The Agriculture Committee’s passage of its version of the market-structure bill without Democratic support, as reported by Cointelegraph. Verify at https://cointelegraph.com/news/live-senate-markup-crypto-market-structure-bill

What the article means for the ecosystem

The ongoing policy dialogue highlights an ecosystem-wide emphasis on practical regulation that can accommodate innovation without compromising investor protection. If a unified bill emerges, market participants could see clearer guidance on the treatment of stablecoins, the viability of tokenized securities, and the governance rules that apply to assets held by public officials. These elements are critical in determining whether institutions will participate more broadly, how yield mechanisms will be overseen, and what kinds of disclosures may become standard for digital-asset products.

Key figures and next steps

Central to the discussions is Cody Carbone, CEO of The Digital Chamber, whose comments at the White House session underscored the sector’s appetite for constructive policy alignment. While the exact contours of forthcoming legislation remain unsettled, the consensus among participants is that meaningful progress requires a carefully calibrated balance between encouraging innovation and imposing robust safeguards. The next few weeks are likely to feature renewed committee conversations, potential text releases, and a more explicit schedule for continued negotiations across the Banking and Agriculture panels, all aimed at piercing through political gridlock toward a workable market framework.

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Rewritten Article Body: Pathways to CLARITY in US digital-asset policy

The White House hosted a high-level exchange on the future of digital-asset regulation, inviting leaders from both the crypto industry and the traditional banking sector to discuss the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act in a setting designed to translate policy talk into tangible legislative steps. The dialogue followed a February timeline where the Senate Banking Committee had formally postponed a markup of the act earlier this year, a procedural decision that reflected the intricacies of reconciling innovation with investor protections. In attendance were representatives from advocacy groups like The Digital Chamber, who argued that the evolving policy landscape must not merely react to headlines but create a stable framework for tokenized assets, stablecoins, and DeFi that can function within existing financial markets without compromising safety or compliance.

Central to the conversation were three themes: governance for digital assets held by public officials, the treatment and oversight of stablecoin yield structures within market-structure rules, and the broader implications for tokenized securities and DeFi platforms. The dialogue acknowledged that the policy architecture will need to accommodate a spectrum of digital assets—from collateral-backed stablecoins to more complex programmable instruments—without stymying legitimate innovation. The Digital Chamber’s leadership, including CEO Cody Carbone, stressed that progress depends on translating broad policy goals into specific, workable rules that can withstand the scrutiny of both chambers of Congress and the executive branch. He framed the White House meeting as a constructive step toward a path that could harmonize regulatory intent with market realities, insisting that policy refinement can yield a fair playing field for digital assets in the United States.

“Today’s meeting at the White House was exactly the kind of progress needed to find a resolution to one of the biggest issues blocking next steps in market structure legislative progress,” said Carbone, adding: “We […] are optimistic that as we continue to dive into the policy details, a fair playing field can be created for digital assets in the US.”

The push for a cohesive approach involves both the Senate Banking Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee. Each panel has stewarded a version of the market-structure bill, with the Banking Committee focusing on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s oversight of digital assets and the Agriculture Committee addressing commodities regulation through the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The practical challenge lies in stitching together their separate drafts into a single, floor-ready text that can command bipartisan support. The necessity of intercommittee coordination underscores how a single, unified bill may be the vehicle that finally advances a market framework—one that clarifies how tokenized equities, stablecoins, and DeFi could operate within the U.S. financial system while preserving safeguards against abuse and manipulation.

Additionally, the Agriculture Committee’s recent passage of its version—without Democratic votes—spotlights the political sensitivity surrounding digital-asset holdings by public officials. Critics within the Democratic caucus have argued that asset ownership by elected representatives raises conflicts of interest and governance questions, adding another layer of complexity to the policy process. These concerns are not only procedural but potentially substantive: they shape the final contours of disclosure requirements and eligibility restrictions embedded in any final CLARITY Act text. As lawmakers wrestle with these questions, industry participants are watching closely to assess how far the policy framework will extend, where it will draw the line between permissible investment and potential conflicts, and how these decisions will influence the practical rollout of regulated crypto markets in the United States.

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In the broader market context, these negotiations occur against a backdrop of evolving liquidity conditions and risk sentiment around digital assets. Institutional participants in particular seek clarity—both in terms of what constitutes compliant behavior and in the precise mechanics of how stablecoins will interact with traditional financial infrastructures. The White House engagement signals that executive and legislative branches are trying to converge on a coherent set of rules that can withstand political scrutiny and market scrutiny alike. The path to a final act will likely hinge on the ability of policymakers to balance consumer protection with innovation, a balance that could determine whether the U.S. remains a leading hub for blockchain-based financial services or if gaps in clarity drive activity to more permissive jurisdictions.

As the process unfolds, key policy questions will define the trajectory of the market. What specific guardrails will govern stablecoin yields, and how will yield distributions be audited and disclosed? How will tokenized equities be treated relative to traditional securities, and what governance protocols will be required for DeFi platforms seeking legitimate access to mainstream markets? And how will ethical standards for asset holdings by officials be codified in a way that is both enforceable and practically enforceable by regulators? These questions will shape the drafting of the final text, the negotiation dynamics between committees, and, ultimately, the degree of certainty that market participants can rely upon in planning product launches, liquidity strategies, and risk management practices. The discussions at the White House mark a notable moment in a longer arc toward regulatory clarity—one that could redefine how digital assets are perceived, regulated, and integrated into the fabric of the U.S. financial system.

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Here’s How US Funding Certainty Calmed Markets and Lifted Bitcoin

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Here’s How US Funding Certainty Calmed Markets and Lifted Bitcoin


Bitcoin dipped to $72.8K during U.S. shutdown fears, then rebounded sharply after lawmakers passed a funding bill.

Bitcoin (BTC) slid to around $72,800 yesterday as U.S. lawmakers debated a stopgap funding package before rebounding once the House passed the bill on February 4, 2026, easing fears of a government shutdown.

The quick turnaround showed how closely crypto prices still track U.S. political risk, even when no blockchain-specific news is involved.

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Shutdown Fears Ripple Through Crypto

According to a February 4 post by on-chain analytics firm Santiment, the sell-off unfolded during U.S. trading hours while headlines pointed to a tight vote in the House. As uncertainty built, BTC quickly fell, triggering about $30 million in DeFi liquidations and mirroring a synchronized drop in the S&P 500 and even gold, an asset typically viewed as a safe haven.

This correlation indicates traders were reducing exposure to volatile assets broadly due to the political standoff, not crypto-specific news.

The concern centered on whether Congress would approve a roughly $1.2 trillion funding package to keep most federal agencies running through September 30. Failure would have led to a partial shutdown, delaying economic data and adding stress to an already cautious market.

The tense vote saw Republican divisions, with one representative voting against the bill due to foreign aid provisions.

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However, the bill ultimately passed, averting a shutdown and causing markets to respond with immediate relief. Bitcoin bounced from its lows, climbing over 5% within hours, and the S&P 500 also recovered. According to Santiment, the speedy recovery showed that fears of political dysfunction, rather than a fundamental reevaluation of Bitcoin’s value, were behind the earlier sell-off.

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Broader Pressures on Bitcoin’s Price

While the funding bill news provided a clear short-term catalyst, Bitcoin is still facing broader headwinds. Per data from CoinGecko, the asset is down nearly 14% in the last seven days and 17% for the month.

A recently published analysis from Galaxy Digital pointed to deteriorating on-chain metrics, with research head Alex Thorn noting that 46% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply is now “underwater,” meaning it was last moved at higher prices, which can increase selling pressure. He also pointed out that there was a lack of significant accumulation by large holders.

Furthermore, on February 3, reports that Iran was seeking to shift the format of nuclear talks with the U.S. contributed to another leg down in Bitcoin’s price, pushing it below $75,000 and burning at least $20 million worth of derivative positions.

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Additionally, some analysts like Doctor Profit have revised their downside targets, saying the cycle bottom could hit a range between $44,000 and $54,000. However, the key question is whether the resolution of the immediate U.S. political risk will be enough to reverse these negative technical and on-chain trends, or if BTC is still vulnerable to a deeper test of support.

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GAS Tanks 90% After AI Dev ‘Steps Back’

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The Gas Town token has plunged to a $1.1 million valuation just four days after peaking above $60 million.

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Most Crypto Holders Want to Pay with Bitcoin but Rarely Do, Survey Show

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Most Crypto Holders Want to Pay with Bitcoin but Rarely Do, Survey Show


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Classic Chart Pattern Signals ETH Could Slip Below $2K

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Classic Chart Pattern Signals ETH Could Slip Below $2K

The price of Ethereum’s native token, Ether (ETH), risks sliding below $2,000 in February as a classic bearish setup plays out.

Key takeaways:

  • ETH breakdown keeps $1,665 downside target in focus.

  • MVRV bands also point to price sliding toward $1,725 or lower before a potential bottom.

ETH/USD daily chart. Source: TradingView

ETH risks declining 25% in February

As of Wednesday, ETH had entered the breakdown stage of its prevailing inverse-cup-and-handle (IC&H) pattern. This could extend a downtrend that has already erased about 60% from its August 2025 peak.

An IC&H pattern forms when price forms a rounded top and then drifts higher in a small recovery channel. It typically resolves when the price breaks below the neckline support, often falling by as much as the cup’s maximum height.

Ether broke below the inverse cup-and-handle neckline near $2,960 in January. It later rebounded to retest that level as resistance, a common post-breakdown move, only to resume its decline.

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Ether inverse cup-and-handle. Source: TradingView

ETH’s rebound also stalled below the 20-day (green) and 50-day (red) EMAs, which acted as overhead resistance.

These confluence indicators raised ETH’s odds of declining toward the IC&H breakdown target at around $1,665, down 25%, in February or by early March.

Historically, the inverse cup-and-handle hits its projected downside target with an 82% success rate, according to a study by Chartswatcher.

From a macro perspective, Ethereum’s downside risk is increasing as traders cut back on crypto bets, worried the market could slip into a broader 2026 downturn similar to past “four-year cycle” pullbacks.

Fears of an “AI bubble” popping are also forcing traders to avoid riskier bets such as crypto.

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Ethereum’s MVRV bands hint at $1,725 target

Ethereum’s technical downside target sat just below the lowest boundary of its MVRV extreme deviation pricing bands, currently at $1,725.

These bands are onchain price zones that show when ETH is trading below or above the average price at which traders last moved their coins.

Ethereum MVRV extreme deviation pricing bands. Source: Glassnode

Historically, ETH price plunged near or even below the lowest MVRV band before bottoming out.

That includes the April 2025 bounce, when the ETH price rose 90% a month after testing the lowest MVRV deviation band around $1,390. A similar rebound occurred in June 2018.

Related: ETH funding rate turns negative, but US macro conditions mute buy signal

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Therefore, Ether may decline toward $1,725 or below in February, which lines up with the IC&H downside target.