Congress keeps talking crypto amid trade war shifts

The House’s Digital Assets Subcommittee met today, and the next step for STABLE and GENIUS stablecoin bills is a floor vote

article-image

US Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) | Jose Gil/Shutterstock and Adobe modified by Blockworks

share

This is a segment from the Forward Guidance newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.


Investors may still be recovering from tariff policy whiplash, but the world keeps spinning. 

Representatives on the House Financial Service’s Digital Assets Subcommittee met today for a hearing on US crypto policy. That topic may not be top of the news cycle, but is still big in Washington. 

Rep. Brad Sherman from California, who has long been skeptical of any legislation deemed “pro crypto,” had an interesting take. “New coins” will overtake “old coins,” he said, and he’s all for new coins.

We aren’t sure at all what he means here, but we think he’s saying he’d like to see some disruption in the crypto space. 

The hearing comes after six Financial Services Committee Democrats voted to advance the House’s STABLE Act last week. The legislation is similar to the GENIUS Act in the Senate (which also received bipartisan support), but the House’s version gives more power to state regulators to oversee issuers. 

The next step for both bills will be a full floor vote. Should the trade war continue to escalate, we expect crypto legislation will move to the back burner. Still, insiders on the Hill tell us stablecoin legislation should be the first crypto measure to pass. Up next is market structure, which has the industry much more divided. 

Meanwhile, in the Senate, Paul Atkins’ nomination to the SEC today passed the cloture vote, 51-45. The final vote could be scheduled as soon as this evening. 


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research Report Templates (1).png

Research

Pendle V2 today is the premier go-to-market venue for YBS, YBA, and PoS LST token issuers to bootstrap TVL. Boros could soon be a the dominant rate hedging platform in crypto markets.

article-image

BTC finished the week up 1.6%, while L2s, RWAs and the treasury trade continued to grind lower

article-image

DTCC moves DTC-custodied Treasuries onchain via Canton, while Lighter’s LIT launches trading at a fees multiple in Hyperliquid territory

article-image

In the 90s, rapt audiences worldwide watched a coffee pot — will that fascination ever turn to crypto?

article-image

Some systems improve by failing — and crypto has no choice

article-image

Yield Basis introduces an IL-free AMM design that already dominates BTC DEX liquidity

article-image

Maybe tokenholders don’t need the rights that corporate shareholders have come to expect

Newsletter

The Breakdown

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Blockworks Research

Unlock crypto's most powerful research platform.

Our research packs a punch and gives you actionable takeaways for each topic.

SubscribeGet in touch

Blockworks Inc.

133 W 19th St., New York, NY 10011

Blockworks Network

NewsPodcastsNewslettersEventsRoundtablesAnalytics