Lawmakers Discreetly Shape Bitcoin’s Role in the Country’s Financial Landscape

The U.S. Congress is getting ready to review a new bill designed to incorporate

Named the BITCOIN Act, the bill is envisioned as a holistic approach to close regulatory loopholes in the cryptocurrency realm while also encouraging both innovation and oversight. Insights shared during the roundtable meetings suggest that the legislation aims to create a legal structure for institutional use of Bitcoin, potentially requiring the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve to assess the practicality of holding Bitcoin as a strategic reserve. Such steps would reflect how the U.S. has historically managed gold and other key assets, but with a focus on the digital age and the unique qualities of cryptocurrencies.

Industry leaders participating in the roundtables highlighted that the U.S. has a singular chance to set the global standard for digital asset regulation and governance. They pointed out that the current lack of a unified regulatory framework leaves institutional investors uncertain, which has slowed the widespread use of Bitcoin as a reserve asset. Establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve could offer protection against inflation and help diversify the nation's financial holdings.

The BITCOIN Act also aims to implement reforms to the market structure to boost transparency and uphold the integrity of Bitcoin trading within the U.S. These changes are expected to include stricter reporting obligations for exchanges, more precise definitions for market participants in the digital asset space, and more robust anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) regulations. These updates are anticipated to bring U.S. standards closer to international norms and encourage greater participation from institutional investors.

Lawmakers have voiced a measured optimism regarding the bill's ability to enhance the U.S.'s leadership in the international digital asset arena. Although no official schedule for the bill’s introduction has been released, several members of both the House and Senate have signaled their plans to bring forward the BITCOIN Act at the start of 2026. Should it pass, this legislation would represent a major change in the government's approach to digital currencies and their regulation.