Policy Share Share this article Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail Coinbase opposition won't stymie U.S. crypto Policy Share Share this article Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail Coinbase opposition won't stymie U.S. crypto

Coinbase opposition won't stymie U.S. crypto market structure bill, HSBC says

7 min read
Share
Share this article
Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail

Coinbase opposition won't stymie U.S. crypto market structure bill, HSBC says

The bank argued that legislative momentum remains strong as industry heavyweights prioritize long-term regulatory certainty over unpredictable enforcement.

By Will Canny, AI Boost|Edited by Sheldon Reback
Jan 28, 2026, 4:17 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Despite Coinbase pushback, crypto market structure bill still on track, HSBC says. (CoinDesk)

What to know:

  • HSBC suggested Coinbase may prefer a compromise bill over no legislation at all.
  • With Ripple and Coinbase funding the Fairshake PAC, the report highlighted that significant capital is being deployed to ensure Congressional candidates pass clear statutory rules.
  • The bank envisions a potential path where the Senate Agriculture Committee’s bill passes first, granting the CFTC authority over spot commodities even if SEC-related issues remain unresolved.

Coinbase's (COIN) decision to end support for U.S. market structure legislation won't derail the process, investment bank HSBC said, suggesting that while CEO Brian Armstrong prefers no bill over a bad bill, he would probably accept a sensible compromise.

The report maintained that a legislative floor is essential to providing the stability required for institutional entry.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Sign me up

"Coinbase withdrawal of support is not a death-knell for U.S. market structure legislation," analysts Daragh Maher and Nishu Singla said in the Tuesday report.

At its core, the proposed law is a high-stakes attempt to end the regulation-by-enforcement era that has defined the U.S. crypto landscape for years. By drawing a clear line between the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) authority over securities and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) oversight of commodities, the bill aims to provide the legal rules that institutional investors, from hedge funds to corporate treasuries, require before entering the market at scale.

Earlier this month, Armstrong said Coinbase reversed its support for the bill to protect consumers and prevent the stifling of market competition. The Senate Agriculture Committee delayed its crypto market structure markup to Thursday, citing travel disruptions following a major weekend winter storm.

The analysts pointed to a divide in sentiment that favors action: Ripple’s leadership continues to argue that "clarity is always better than chaos." This is bolstered by the massive financial influence of the Fairshake PAC.

Furthermore, the analysts noted that advisors believe the current draft, while imperfect, might be more favorable than future iterations under different political administrations.

Even if a resolution isn't reached, the analysts expect an incremental victory via the Agriculture Committee’s bill, which would enhance market integrity through CFTC oversight.

The bank warned against viewing industry pushback as a dead end, citing the GENIUS Act’s survival through similar legislative hurdles.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argued that market structure legislation is vital to codifying the current pro-crypto environment into law. Without it, he warned, the industry remains exposed to shifting administrative priorities, a stance that aligns with HSBC’s outlook.

Read more: Crypto faces fork in the road as Clarity Act support wavers, Bitwise says

Cryptocurrency RegulationsMarket Structure LegislationHSBCCoinbase
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.

More For You

Pudgy Penguins: A New Blueprint for Tokenized Culture

Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale.

What to know:

Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token.

The ecosystem now spans phygital products (> $13M retail sales and >1M units sold), games and experiences (Pudgy Party surpassed 500k downloads in two weeks), and a widely distributed token (airdropped to 6M+ wallets). While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility.

View Full Report

More For You

Criminal use of crypto spikes after years of steady decline, TRM report says

While the increasingly professional bad guys' crypto rocketed to $158 billion in 2025, it's still a decreasing share of overall digital assets activity.

What to know:

  • A new TRM Labs report says illicit activity is back up after years of falling numbers, though the share of overall digital assets volume it represents is still on the decrease.
  • The bad actors are much more sophisticated — from state-backed sanctions-evasion infrastructure, to global networks that launder the proceeds of crypto heists.
Read full story
Latest Crypto News

The Protocol: Ethereum to roll out new AI agents standard soon

Robinhood CEO says tokenized stocks could prevent another GameStop freeze

Strive clears Semler debt off books, buys more bitcoin after $225 million preferred stock sale

Peter Thiel and Galaxy-backed Citrea wants to turn idle bitcoin into a high-speed bank account

CoinDesk 20 Performance Update: AAVE Gains 2.9%, Leading Index Higher

Criminal use of crypto spikes after years of steady decline, TRM report says

Top Stories

Tether is buying up to $1 billion of gold per month and storing it in a 'James Bond' bunker

Fidelity Investments starts its own stablecoin in a massive bet that future of banking is on blockchain

The Fed has an interest rate announcement today — crypto traders think it will be boring

HYPE token's 50% surge is a story of crypto-traditional market convergence, treasury firm says

Ethereum unveils new rules to make AI agents trustworthy

Altcoins jump as dollar slides, bitcoin holds steady: Crypto Markets Today

Latest Crypto News

The Protocol: Ethereum to roll out new AI agents standard soon

Robinhood CEO says tokenized stocks could prevent another GameStop freeze

Strive clears Semler debt off books, buys more bitcoin after $225 million preferred stock sale

Peter Thiel and Galaxy-backed Citrea wants to turn idle bitcoin into a high-speed bank account

CoinDesk 20 Performance Update: AAVE Gains 2.9%, Leading Index Higher

Criminal use of crypto spikes after years of steady decline, TRM report says

Top Stories

Tether is buying up to $1 billion of gold per month and storing it in a 'James Bond' bunker

Fidelity Investments starts its own stablecoin in a massive bet that future of banking is on blockchain

The Fed has an interest rate announcement today — crypto traders think it will be boring

HYPE token's 50% surge is a story of crypto-traditional market convergence, treasury firm says

Ethereum unveils new rules to make AI agents trustworthy

Altcoins jump as dollar slides, bitcoin holds steady: Crypto Markets Today

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

Galaxy Digital’s 2025 Loss: SOL Bear Market

Galaxy Digital’s 2025 Loss: SOL Bear Market

The post Galaxy Digital’s 2025 Loss: SOL Bear Market appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Galaxy Digital, a digital assets and artificial intelligence infrastructure
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2026/02/04 09:49
FCA, crackdown on crypto

FCA, crackdown on crypto

The post FCA, crackdown on crypto appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. The regulation of cryptocurrencies in the United Kingdom enters a decisive phase. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has initiated a consultation to set minimum standards on transparency, consumer protection, and digital custody, in order to strengthen market confidence and ensure safer operations for exchanges, wallets, and crypto service providers. The consultation was published on May 2, 2025, and opened a public discussion on operational responsibilities and safeguarding requirements for digital assets (CoinDesk). The goal is to make the rules clearer without hindering the sector’s evolution. According to the data collected by our regulatory monitoring team, in the first weeks following the publication, the feedback received from professionals and operators focused mainly on custody, incident reporting, and insurance requirements. Industry analysts note that many responses require technical clarifications on multi-sig, asset segregation, and recovery protocols, as well as proposals to scale obligations based on the size of the operator. FCA Consultation: What’s on the Table The consultation document clarifies how to apply rules inspired by traditional finance to the crypto perimeter, balancing innovation, market integrity, and user protection. In this context, the goal is to introduce minimum standards for all firms under the supervision of the FCA, an essential step for a more transparent and secure sector, with measurable benefits for users. The proposed pillars Obligations towards consumers: assessment on the extension of the Consumer Duty – a requirement that mandates companies to provide “good outcomes” – to crypto services, with outcomes for users that are traceable and verifiable. Operational resilience: introduction of continuity requirements, incident response plans, and periodic testing to ensure the operational stability of platforms even in adverse scenarios. Financial Crime Prevention: strengthening AML/CFT measures through more stringent transaction monitoring and structured counterpart checks. Custody and safeguarding: definition of operational methods for the segregation of client assets, secure…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 05:40
HKMA Launches Fintech Blueprint with AI, DLT, Quantum and Cybersecurity Focus

HKMA Launches Fintech Blueprint with AI, DLT, Quantum and Cybersecurity Focus

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published a Fintech Promotion Blueprint to support responsible innovation and fintech development in the banking sector.
Share
Fintechnews2026/02/04 10:20