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As the US Congress gears up to mark up the long-awaited crypto market structure bill on January 15, industry representatives are actively engaging in discussions regarding the critical elements of this legislation.
Summer Mersinger, CEO of the Blockchain Association, highlighted important points concerning the state of the bill and the ongoing negotiations among lawmakers in a recent social media post on X (formerly Twitter).
Mersinger described the upcoming markup as a pivotal moment for digital asset legislation, emphasizing the significance of the moment for US leadership in the crypto space.
While she expressed gratitude to Senate leadership for their efforts, she underscored the necessity of addressing several “non-negotiable issues” to ensure that the bill remains durable, workable, and supportive of innovation.
One of the primary concerns Mersinger raised was the need for developer protections. She argued that the builders of peer-to-peer (P2P), open-source technologies should not be classified as financial intermediaries, making it essential for the inclusion of the BRCA (Blockchain Regulatory Compliance Act) in the market structure bill.
Additionally, Mersinger highlighted the need to amend “outdated laws,” which she alleges poses risks of meritless criminal prosecutions for developers simply writing code for non-custodial technologies.
Another critical point made by Mersinger is the preservation of decentralized finance (DeFi). She emphasized that DeFi must not be legislated out of existence, stating that open and decentralized innovation is vital for US competitiveness in the global market.
She stressed that more than 110 organizations and companies have voiced similar sentiments, as illustrated by an August 2025 letter sent to the Senate advocating for developer protections.
Stablecoin policy also emerged as a significant topic in Mersinger’s remarks. She urged Congress to safeguard a bipartisan compromise established in the GENIUS Act, warning against measures that would impose yield bans, which could constrain lawful rewards and favor large banking institutions over new entrants to the market.
Mersinger stressed that market structure reforms should facilitate competition between emerging players and legacy institutions, rather than entrench existing advantages.
Mersinger’s statement comes on the heels of insights shared by crypto journalist Eleanor Terret who recently disclosed that the Senate Banking Committee plans to pass the bill next week, after which it will be merged with the Senate Agriculture Committee’s portion before heading to the Senate floor for a full vote.
Should this process proceed smoothly, the bill could reach President Trump’s desk for signing, with Terret estimating that this could happen as early as March. However, she cautioned that if the House decides to make amendments to the Senate’s version, the timeline could extend into the summer.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
