Crypto is on the Verge of Complete Global Adoption | Capital Nexus - By Shepley Capital

Before we break down what happened over the last few days with the Clarity Act, it’s important to understand how this bill affects you as a holder and investor. In its draft form, the clarity act bill being presented in the U.S impacts how you hold crypto, earn rewards, use DeFi, and access new onchain investment options.

As someone who lives outside of the U.S, you might be asking the question: “Why does a U.S policy matter to me”? – Here’s how.

Most western countries typically adopt near identical protocols into their own laws & regulations within the first 3 months of publication. We see this across most sectors of our regulatory ecosystem; from health, finances, laws, & as of recent times.. social media age restrictions.

With that said, here’s exactly what has unfolded over the past few days regarding the Cryptocurrency Clarity Act bill in its draft form.

Pushback with the Clarity Act Draft
On Friday, January 16, 2026, major developments broke in the U.S. crypto policy world. After intense industry pushback, the Senate Banking Committee postponed and effectively cancelled the markup vote on the Clarity Act that had been scheduled for this week.

This shift came after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong publicly withdrew his company’s support for the legislation in its current form, stating that the draft would leave the industry in a worse position than the current status quo and that Coinbase “would rather have no bill than a bad bill.”

Armstrong’s comments were echoed across the crypto community and were pivotal in delaying the vote. Key concerns included the potential ban on tokenized equities, restrictions on DeFi, excessive regulatory control favoring the SEC over the CFTC, and clauses that would kill passive stablecoin rewards, all of which could negatively affect innovation and investor choice.

As a result of this industry pushback, the Senate Banking Committee canceled the vote and marked up the session originally set for this week. Lawmakers acknowledged that the draft text did not have the support needed to move forward and that continued negotiations are essential.

What Will Happen Next?
Senators have indicated they plan to go back, rework the language, and attempt to strike a better balance between regulatory clarity and preserving the innovative elements of the crypto ecosystem. Industry insiders and lawmakers both stress the importance of creating a framework that protects consumers while still encouraging technological growth and competitiveness.

For holders and investors, this delay is a reminder that regulation is still very much still under development, and that market structure legislation can have far-reaching effects on asset utility, privacy, yield opportunities, and innovation incentives if not developed adequately. The hope across the crypto community is that lawmakers will address the concerns raised, especially those around tokenized assets and decentralised finance, and produce a version that aligns more closely with investor interests and global competitive pressures.