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  • 🇺🇸 Crypto Regulation Delayed Again in Washington

🇺🇸 Crypto Regulation Delayed Again in Washington

PLUS: The Senate shelves the CLARITY Act as lawmakers battle over voter ID rules, oil prices surge amid Middle East conflict, regulators warm to prediction markets and tokenized stocks, and Sam Bankman-Fried claims regulators once tried to sideline the CFTC.

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Cryptopolitan News
March 13, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

🇺🇸 More delays for crypto regulation as Senate turns to voter ID bill

Work in the U.S. Senate on a massive crypto market structure bill has stalled, forcing lawmakers to push it back at least until April as they shift their focus to a political battle over voting laws.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate would first take up the SAVE America Act, a Trump-backed measure that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID in order to cast a ballot.

Until that debate is settled, the CLARITY Act, which would establish clearer parameters for the crypto industry, will sit on hold.

Politics takes over the calendar

Republicans, who hold a narrow 53–47 majority in the Senate, argue that they want to draft and pass the voter ID bill before tackling other legislation.

The proposal has emerged as a major political fight. Proponents say it safeguards election integrity, while detractors add it could make voting more difficult for some demographics.

The bill still faces a long way to go before it could pass due to Senate filibuster rules. But for now, it has successfully moved crypto regulation down the agenda.

Crypto firms still await clarity on regulations

For the crypto industry, the delay means additional market uncertainty.

The CLARITY Act is set to be a definitive line on how digital assets are classified, and which regulators preside over them, something companies have sought for nearly two years.

Without those rules in hand, exchanges, startups and investors say they remain uncertain about which activities are permitted and how future regulations could make or break their businesses.

Some startups say the uncertainty is already stalling fundraising and product launches as investors await clearer guidance.

The wait continues

Lawmakers initially hoped to advance the bill earlier this year, but negotiations between regulators, banks and crypto companies have stalled.

Now, the earliest progress may come in April after the Senate completes work on voter ID legislation.

For the crypto sector, it’s another reminder that regulation in Washington generally happens at the pace of politics.

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📊 Market Watch

1️⃣ As war shakes energy markets, Oil shock spreads

Oil prices are rising again as conflict in the Middle East threatens supply routes and energy infrastructure.

President Donald Trump has said higher oil prices are good for the United States since the country is now the world’s largest producer. But critics counter that the gains largely go to energy companies while Americans shell out more at the pump, with average gasoline prices climbing to about $3.60 per gallon.

In an effort to soothe markets, the U.S. and G7 countries announced the biggest emergency oil release in history, with 172 million barrels coming from its own Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

2️⃣ Regulators warm to prediction markets, tokenized stocks

United States regulators are starting to adopt two rapidly growing components of finance: prediction markets and tokenized equities.

Meanwhile, the CFTC put out new guidelines on event-based trading contracts, and SEC Chair Paul Atkins indicated that an innovation exemption for tokenized securities may be forthcoming.

If realized, the move would enable limited trading of tokenized stocks and potentially pave the way for new blockchain-based financial markets.

3️⃣ Regulators tried to knock the CFTC out of action, according to SBF

Former FTX chief Sam Bankman-Fried has alleged that the former SEC Chair Gary Gensler and Senator Elizabeth Warren once sought to take the CFTC's power over crypto regulation away.

SBF said the push occurred behind closed doors and was intended to put crypto oversight entirely under the jurisdiction of the SEC.

The claim comes while SBF is serving a 25-year prison sentence following the collapse of FTX despite causing controversy throughout his trial, and many in the crypto and finance space have viewed the comments with caution.

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