A Senate panel voted on January 29 to move the digital asset market structure bill forward after about an hour of discussion.
The Senate Agriculture Committee approved it 12–11, which allows the bill to advance toward a future full vote.
SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Mike Selig appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box to talk about the bill and an upcoming White House meeting set for January 26.
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The bill, which already passed in the House of Representatives, is currently under review in the Senate.
Lawmakers from the Agriculture and Banking Committees are still resolving differences before it can move ahead. When asked about the disagreements, both officials stayed neutral.
Atkins said the SEC is advising both committees and helping them reach an agreement that works for everyone. He said, “We’re looking forward to helping them get across the finish line and getting something that works for all the parties”.
Selig mentioned that the GENIUS Act, passed in July 2025, placed stablecoin policy mostly outside the CFTC’s area. This leaves the agency focused on “securities, tokens and tokenized securities”.
He added that the commission is ready to act once Congress finalizes the bill. He said, “We’re ready, willing, and able to work with whatever they come up with”.
Recently, the SEC issued updated guidance on how tokenized securities are defined and treated under existing laws. What did the agency say? Read the full story.
