The crypto industry is ushering in a historic moment!

According to an exclusive report by Fox News on January 10, the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee has officially scheduled a key review of the latest draft of the "Digital Asset Market Clarity Act" (Clarity Act) on January 15 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. This marks the imminent final ruling on the "regulatory jurisdiction war" that has troubled the U.S. crypto industry for over a decade. From the high vote in the House of Representatives in July 2025, to multiple revisions and disclosures of the Senate draft, and now entering the review countdown, this bill, dubbed by industry insiders as the "Constitution of the Crypto Industry," has every move closely linked to the trillion-dollar market.
Four Profound Impacts on the Crypto Industry
If the Clarity Act passes smoothly and becomes law (expected before March), it will have a disruptive impact on the global crypto scene, primarily reflected in four aspects:
1. Accelerated Institutional Investment, Mainstream Assets like Bitcoin Become "Hot Picks"
Clear regulation is the key prerequisite for institutional entry. Previously, due to regulatory risks, traditional institutions such as pension funds and hedge funds remained cautious. The classification framework and CFTC regulatory system established by the Clarity Act will provide clear compliance pathways, likely triggering a new wave of institutional capital deployment. Data already confirms this trend: after the House passed the bill framework in 2025, the management scale of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs exceeded 800,000 BTC, BlackRock's IBIT fund reached $100 billion, and 86% of institutional investors included Bitcoin in their portfolios. As the Senate advances, institutional allocations to "digital commodities" like Ethereum may further increase.
2. Major Shakeup in the Exchange Industry, Compliant Platforms Become "Winner Takes All"
Once the bill is enacted, exchanges will face compliance screening. In the future, only "digital commodity exchanges" registered with the CFTC will be legally allowed to conduct spot trading of mainstream assets, and tokens classified as securities will require additional SEC approval.
This will phase out small, non-compliant platforms, with leading compliant platforms like Gate and Coinbase gaining market share through first-mover advantages, significantly increasing industry concentration.
3. Rebuilding the DeFi Ecosystem, Shifting from "High-Yield Money" to "Value Realization"
The ban on passive income from stablecoins will force DeFi to transform. The "risk-free flexible income" model will become unsustainable, and protocols will need to shift toward staking, liquidity mining, and other "substantive activity" products, promoting a transition from speculation to serving the real economy. Meanwhile, DeFi compliance must be strengthened, possibly requiring the establishment of anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) mechanisms to mitigate risks.
4. Formation of a "U.S. Standard" for Global Crypto Regulation, Emerging Markets Under Pressure
The Clarity Act, together with the "GENIUS Act," which constructs a "stablecoin + asset classification" dual framework, may become a global template. U.S.-compliant stablecoins (such as USDC) will see increased influence, potentially accelerating capital outflows from emerging markets and compelling them to introduce domestic regulatory policies to safeguard financial sovereignty.
It is important to note that the Clarity Act is still in the Senate review stage and may face amendments, partisan negotiations, and other uncertainties, with the final version subject to change. Even if enacted, anti-money laundering and anti-market manipulation regulations in the crypto industry will be further strengthened. Investors should remain vigilant that "compliance does not mean risk-free."
Ordinary investors should focus on compliant mainstream assets and platforms, avoiding unregulated niche tokens and high-risk products; industry practitioners need to proactively plan for compliance transformation, paying attention to subsequent rules from the CFTC and SEC to avoid legal risks caused by policy misalignment. From "regulatory chaos" to "clear rules," the U.S. crypto industry is undergoing a historic transformation. The advancement of the Clarity Act is not only a move by the U.S. to compete for dominance in digital finance but also a model for global regulation to "bring order out of chaos." The era of "barbaric growth" in the crypto world will come to an end, giving way to a mature, institutionalized era.