The U.S. Senate Banking Committee held a session titled “From Wall Street to Web3: Building Tomorrow’s Digital Asset Markets,” attracting bipartisan senators and six experts from the crypto asset sector. The session focused on regulating crypto markets, the role of crypto in illegal financial transactions, and potential conflicts of interest. Insights from industry leaders and experts were featured throughout the discussions.
Crypto and Illegal Finance Debate
Committee Chairman Tim Scott kicked off the session by stating that illegal activities are more prevalent with cash than with crypto assets. Opposing this view, Committee Member Elizabeth Warren argued that as the market size for crypto assets grows, so do illegal activities. She highlighted North Korean hacking activities as a national security risk for the U.S.
Jonathan Levin, CEO of Chainalysis, noted that illegal activities account for less than 1% of total transaction volume, a lower rate than traditional markets. He emphasized that most blockchain transactions are legitimate and mentioned that crypto-specific tools facilitate criminal identification, though they see less use in terrorism financing than expected.
Jonathan Levin: “Illegal activities on the blockchain constitute less than 1% of the total volume.”
Trump Family’s Conflict of Interest Allegations
Senators Raphael Warnock, Chris Van Hollen, and Elizabeth Warren raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest involving President Donald Trump and his family’s activities in the crypto sector. Warren claimed that $7 billion of Trump’s assets are tied up in cryptocurrencies. Warnock initiated an ethical debate over Trump’s meme coin creation.
Senator Van Hollen recalled Eric Trump’s meeting with an investment firm in the UAE for a stablecoin project before his father’s country visit, suggesting such legislation might benefit related companies. Former White House ethics counsel Richard Painter stated that serving presidents must not have conflicts of interest in crypto-related laws.
Richard Painter: “People enacting crypto laws must not be in any conflict of interest, including the President.”
Inter-Agency Authority Distribution
Harvard University’s Timothy Massad advocated for joint collaboration between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in crypto asset regulation. He recommended against Congress directly assuming the regulatory role, instead favoring coordinated efforts by these two bodies.
Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger argued for greater CFTC authority in crypto markets, suggesting a principles-based regulation approach would be beneficial. Senator Katie Britt also supported a principles-based regime over restrictive regulations, though specific principles were not detailed.
Timothy Massad: “The solution is SEC and CFTC working together; Congress should not be a regulator.”
Bipartisan Crypto Legislation
In the session, Senator Bernie Moreno suggested that crypto assets relate more to generational differences than political parties. Moreno advocated for a softer approach over overly stringent regulations. Tim Scott, Cynthia Lummis, and Kirsten Gillibrand showcased collaborative legislative proposals prepared since 2022.
Senator Cynthia Lummis thanked Democratic colleagues for working on consumer-protective yet innovation-friendly regulations. She highlighted the U.S. judiciary’s role in including encryption and coding under free speech, crucial for sector growth. Lummis also emphasized Bitcoin 
$91,967 and crypto assets’ significant global economic presence.
Cynthia Lummis: “The sector is maturing, requiring clear rules. Timely legislation can guide innovation.”
The Senate session on the crypto market structure revealed diverse perspectives and concerns. Topics such as the illicit finance risks of digital assets, political figures’ influence, regulation models, and inter-agency collaboration were central. The session reinforced the importance of clear and flexible regulations for maintaining the U.S.’s global competitiveness in the digital asset market. Bipartisan legislative processes aim to foster sector growth and protect consumer rights.
