Senate Schedules January Markup for Landmark Crypto Clarity Act, David Sacks Confirms

Momentum is building in Washington around a long-anticipated overhaul of U.S. crypto regulation as the Senate prepares for a formal review of the landmark legislation.

David Sacks, the White House adviser overseeing artificial intelligence and digital asset policy, confirmed that Senate committees will begin marking up the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in January 2026. He shared the update on the social media platform X following discussions with key Senate leaders.

According to Sacks, Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott and Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman agreed on the timeline during a joint call. He added that the confirmation moves lawmakers closer to passing a comprehensive crypto framework that has received public backing from President Donald Trump.

Purpose and Scope of the Clarity Act

For the uninitiated, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is a bipartisan proposal that seeks to establish clearer regulatory frameworks and greater certainty for the digital asset sector.

The bill establishes a clear division of regulatory authority between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

By defining which agency oversees specific segments of the crypto market, the legislation aims to reduce regulatory ambiguity that has long frustrated industry participants. Proponents argue that clearer oversight would provide firms with greater legal certainty and encourage responsible innovation.

Path From the House to the Senate

The Clarity Act has already cleared one major hurdle. In July, the House of Representatives passed the bill with broad bipartisan support. 

Following that approval, the legislation moved to the Senate for further consideration. The next phase involves a detailed committee-level review by both the Banking and Agriculture committees.

Notably, the markup stage is a critical part of the legislative process. During these sessions, senators review the bill line by line and propose amendments.

Committees then vote on whether to advance the legislation. Only after clearing this stage can the bill proceed to a full vote before the entire Senate.

Senate’s Parallel Crypto Proposal

Alongside the House-passed bill, Senate lawmakers are developing a separate proposal on crypto market structure. However, that effort remains at the discussion draft stage and has not yet advanced to formal committee review.

Like the Clarity Act, the Senate draft focuses on defining regulatory boundaries between the SEC and the CFTC. Additionally, it introduces the concept of “ancillary assets,” a framework intended to help determine which digital tokens fall outside the definition of securities.

The January markup could serve as a bridge between the two efforts. Lawmakers may combine elements of the House legislation with provisions from the Senate drafts.

Such a move would help align both chambers before a potential floor vote. Sacks has expressed optimism that meaningful progress will follow once committee review begins, based on his public comments on X.