Key Insights
- Markup of the CLARITY Act is rescheduled for January 27, following delays in the Senate.
- The new CLARITY Act text is to be issued by January 21 for review by the committee.
- The CLARITY Act remains a source of controversy regarding stablecoins, DeFi, and the timing of legislation.
The U.S. CLARITY Act has reached a major procedural milestone as the Senate Committee has set the date of a markup hearing for January 27, 2026. The scheduled markup follows earlier delays and comes as lawmakers prepare to release updated legislative text ahead of formal committee debate.
Markup of CLARITY Act Scheduled January 27.
In a Wednesday’s post on X, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry announced that its markup hearing will take place on January 27, 2026.
The committee further indicated that the new text of the legislation would be published by January 21, allowing members to study the draft before it is considered.
https://twitter.com/SenateAgGOP/status/2011206161656389671
According to Committee Chairman John Boozman, the new schedule was created to ensure transparency and lead to a longer review.
Boozman also recognized the involvement of Cory Booker and the committee staff in developing the legislation, mentioning their cooperation aimed at achieving consumer protection and market clarity.
Updated bill text follows cross-party negotiations.
The January 27 markup follows the Senate’s release of an updated version of the CLARITY Act, unveiled by Tim Scott.
Scott stated that the revised draft reflects months of negotiations with Democratic lawmakers and incorporates changes intended to address outstanding concerns raised during earlier discussions.
The committee had originally planned to hold the markup on January 15, 2026. That meeting was postponed as lawmakers sought additional time to resolve remaining issues.
Boozman said at the time that discussions had been constructive, but that further work was required to ensure sufficient support before advancing the bill.
The process of Senate markup.
A Senate markup is a committee’s formal session that involves debate on legislative language and amendments, as well as voting on the progress of a bill.
At the January 27 hearing, committee members will review the CLARITY Act line by line and decide whether to pass it to the full Senate.
Senate approval represents only one stage of the legislative process. The bill is intended to be passed through the House of Representatives before it can be submitted to the president. Once the Congress had approved the legislation, it would be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Regulatory framework provided in the CLARITY Act.
Under the crypto market structure scheme provided under the CLARITY Act, the digital assets of the crypto market will be regulated by a joint effort between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
The bill also seeks to determine which crypto assets are subject to securities law and which are considered commodities, thereby reducing conflicts in banking regulation and uncertainty.
Moreover, the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees the SEC, has also marked up a similar legislative proposal. That committee recently published a revised draft that covers more regulatory subjects related to the overall market structure framework.
Unresolved problems with stablecoins and DeFi.
Although the CLARITY Act has progressed in committee preparations, some provisions are open to debate. Among the areas of concern is the regulation of stablecoin yield.
The revised Senate Banking Committee bill contains a provision limiting the ability of the crypto asset providers to provide passive yield on stablecoin holdings.
Additionally, U.S. banking groups have expressed interest in this provision, and it remains a point of contention as committees continue their review.
Consideration of timing and legislative perspective.
The larger-scale pressures of the legislation have also influenced the CLARITY Act. Prolonged government shutdowns in the past have slowed the passage of similar bills in the year preceding them.
Moreover, members of Congress have cited the likelihood of another funding-linked disruption in the coming month if the appropriations bills are not passed. A full shutdown, however, has been described as unlikely.
Despite all these uncertainties, SEC Chairman Paul Atkins stated earlier this week that he is optimistic about the bill being signed into law this year.
Furthermore, Tiduations Research company TD Cowen has warned that the bill will not be enacted until 2027, as its timing coincides with the November 2026 elections and a shift in legislative priorities as the campaign season approaches.
