US Shutdown Risks Further Crypto Bill Delays

- Midnight government funding deadline threatens progress on key crypto legislation. - Partisan healthcare disputes stall deliberations, impacting broader economic clarity. A looming U.S. government shutdown, set for Tuesday midnight, threatens the Senate's review of a pivotal digital asset market structure bill. This legislation, a critical step for the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency industry, aims to delineate regulatory responsibilities between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The legislative deadlock stems from partisan disagreements over healthcare cuts embedded in a prior budget measure. To prevent a shutdown, Democrats demand that Congress reverse these cuts before they will support a temporary funding resolution. Republicans, however, remain adamant about retaining the provisions within their proposed "clean bill," which offers a seven-week funding extension. Negotiations have escalated, and on September 29, 2025, Cointelegraph reported that President Trump met with congressional leaders to resolve the impasse. Delays are already evident, as the Senate Banking Committee postponed discussions on the crypto market structure bill from late September to October. A government shutdown would consequently divert lawmakers’ priorities to immediate funding issues, likely stalling further progress on the bill. The shutdown would suspend various political and administrative functions, including efforts to define regulatory clarity for digital assets. Establishing distinct oversight roles for the CFTC and SEC is essential to categorize and manage cryptocurrencies within the United States. Without this clarity, the sector faces continued uncertainty, which could stifle innovation and investment. As of 19:13 UTC on September 29, Bitcoin (BTC) was trading at $114,094.84. According to CoinMarketCap, this price reflected a 3.56% increase in its 24-hour trading volume.