Congress is set to take up a slew of legislative proposals in 2023 that will determine which regulators have chief domain over cryptocurrency. 



It would be ideal for the industry for Congress to weigh in on its fate instead of leaving it to unelected regulators at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). to it finish, representatives from either side of the aisle have introduced bills designed to supply “regulatory clarity.” The moderate position looks to favor placing crypto largely under the jurisdiction of the commodity Futures trading Commission (CFTC). 

To be sure, there are 2 Senate bills in particular that aren't ideal. 

Boozman-Stabenow lacks clarity

Democratic senate Agriculture Committee chairwoman Debbie Stabenow has coauthored one proposal with Republican Sen. John Boozman. With an increasing range of eyes on the bill within the wake of FTX’s collapse, Stabenow says it's “definitely a priority” that the committee can take action on next year. 

The Stabenow-Boozman bill, that has broad bipartisan support, would provide the CFTC jurisdiction over cryptocurrencies. Democratic senator Cory booker and Republican senator John Thune have additionally signed on to the bill. If it passes, all crypto trading platforms (brokers, dealers and custodians) would be required to register with the CFTC. Exchanges would report back to the CFTC, and bankruptcy protections, as well as minimum capital requirements, would be implemented. 

Related: Disaster looms for Digital Currency group thanks to regulators and whales 

Cryptocurrency insiders voice one particular recurring critique: The bill needs to lay out a clearer definition of securities and commodities. can digital securities be evaluated by the Howey test or another way? The bill doesn’t clarify. The bill additionally risks being interpreted as a de facto ban on decentralized finance (DeFi). 

It is not a decent approach to leave non-elected bureaucrats and courts to see case-by-case whether or not or not digital assets are a security. The us should avoid rulemaking by enforcement, allowing Congress to see the difference between a digital security and a commodity. 

Despite failing to outline that cryptocurrencies constitute a security, the bill will change the definition of a commodity to include “digital commodity.” 

The Lummis-Gillibrand accountable money Innovation Act 

The Stabenow-Boozman bill isn't the sole Senate proposal sitting on the docket for next year. Republican legislator cynthia Lummis and Democratic senator Kirsten Gillibrand have additionally written a comprehensive bill that will set standards for client protection, investor protection, and advertising. 

Related: sen. Lummis: My proposal with sen. Gillibrand empowers the SEC to protect consumers 

Lummis had gained a “pro-crypto” name before putting her name on the responsible financial Innovation Act (RFIA) alongside new york senator Kirsten Gillibrand. The bill introduces a new term, ancillary asset, that looks almost like a utility token. To be designated an ancillary asset, the token should be fungible. people generally appear to view the bill nearly as good for crypto. 

Crypto proponents should become a lot of vocal 

The cryptocurrency industry is roughly ten years old, and yet there are still clamors for “regulatory clarity.” If the SEC knew which of them were securities, however, wouldn’t they need informed the industry? maybe not even the SEC is aware of wherever to draw the road. If you took a list of the highest twenty cryptocurrencies to 5 different major law companies with experience in crypto, they might all likely supply different opinions about which might be deemed securities. 

Related: Biden‘s anemic crypto framework offered nothing new 

While there’s a lot of focus on the SEC, there are many organizations undermining the true ethos of crypto. Those include the workplace of Foreign Assets control (OFAC), the money Crimes financial Network (FinCen), the Department of the Treasury, and more. Even figures from our own business undermine crypto. sam Bankman-Fried, who was arrested within the bahamas and is about to be extradited to the us, argued that interfaces to protocols should be gated by licenses and know your customer laws. 

That eliminates everyone from partaking within the business who can’t come up with the $100,000 to get a preliminary legal review, stifling innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. only large companies would be able to offer financial services. The business must push back against any legislation that infringes on the openness of crypto. 

The us House of Representatives can consider multiple crypto-related bills in 2023 in what could be a fateful year for crypto. The business must become diligent now in ensuring events deep into this past crypto winter don’t give way to draconian regulations. 

(KADAN STADELMANN, Cointelegraph, 2022)