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Senate Crypto Talks Restart After CEO Meetings, but DeFi Dispute Keeps Deal Out of Reach

Unresolved rules for decentralized finance now determine whether negotiators schedule a markup to salvage this year’s timeline.

Overview

  • Top crypto executives met separately with Senate Democrats and Republicans, as well as White House officials, to discuss next steps for a market-structure bill.
  • Democratic senators signaled willingness to advance legislation, with more than ten participating in talks, while Republicans pushed for a firm committee markup date.
  • Negotiations had stalled after a leaked Democratic DeFi proposal drew sharp industry criticism and escalated partisan mistrust over process and scope.
  • Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said the effort is about 90% complete and is aiming for a committee vote by Thanksgiving, though this reflects his assessment of progress.
  • Key gaps remain on DeFi treatment, SECCFTC jurisdiction and stablecoin rewards, and the ongoing government shutdown is limiting Senate bandwidth and threatening year-end passage.