House Finance chair says SEC and CFTC crypto rules aren't enough

The policy gridlock

Real talk: The state of crypto regulation in the U.S. is giving major uncertainty. Representative French Hill, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, is sounding off on the current regulatory landscape, and he isn't exactly thrilled. While the SEC and the CFTC have been busy trying to patch things together through rulemaking, Hill says these moves lowkey fall short of the stability the industry actually needs.

The push for the CLARITY Act

After the Senate failed to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act last month, Hill is still hoping to get a W in the books during the upcoming lame duck session. He believes the U.S. needs a permanent law change to keep our spot as the main character in the blockchain space.

With SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Michael Selig working under the direction of President Donald Trump, the agencies are moving, but Hill insists that legislative action is the only way to lock in long-term rules.

The ticking clock

It’s crunch time. The Senate only has 22 days in session between the November midterms and the swearing-in of the new Congress in January 2027. The plot thickens because lawmakers will be moving with the election results in mind, which could definitely impact the vote.

Adding to the chaos, leadership at both agencies is currently a bit of a skeleton crew. With seven vacancies total—including the recent resignation of Commissioner Hester Peirce at the SEC—only Chair Atkins, Mark Uyeda, and CFTC Chair Selig remain to man the helm.

Why it matters

Without a permanent bill like CLARITY, the crypto market is essentially navigating by trial and error through agency enforcement. For anyone holding bags, the lack of long-term legal clarity is the biggest risk factor right now. Remember, this is not financial advice, but legislative certainty is generally what builders and investors need to stop guessing where the goalposts are.