House Democrat Blocks Crypto Market Structure Bill Hearing

Rep. Maxine Waters, the leading Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, will obstruct plans for a joint hearing with the House Agriculture Committee to discuss the newly proposed crypto market structure bill. House rules mandate unanimous agreement among participants for joint hearings to proceed—a condition Waters will deny, according to a Democratic staffer.

The objection comes amid heightened scrutiny of cryptocurrency regulation, particularly as former President Donald Trump increases his public engagement with digital assets. The draft bill in question seeks to clarify oversight roles for the SEC and CFTC in crypto markets—a contentious issue that has stalled legislative progress for years.

Market participants anticipated the hearing could bring much-needed regulatory clarity to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other major cryptocurrencies. Waters’ move prolongs the uncertainty that has dogged the sector since its inception, leaving exchanges and investors navigating a patchwork of state and federal guidance.